Are battery trains the future?

[LUYMun]

For the past few years, the development of the Class 230 was originally conceived to be a fully battery train for the North.
Whilst not all have came to fruition, the Class 230/0 (as it's officially called for now, due to more being built as battery-electric bi-mode) had made me wonder if trains be better off being battery?
In my opinion, this may be centred around electric infrastructure (i.e 3rd rail/overhead wires) because my idea will remove the infrastructure, saving costs, securing safety and reducing maintenance. But is it really a good idea, though?

 

[Clip]

I dont think the project from the outset was to be a full battery train on the 230 but as time has gone by they added that to their project but unless they wire up everywhere then we will be with diesel trains for a long time yet due to battery technology not quite up to the job just yet and possibly the next 20 years - though mining for the materials may put a stop to it in the future - who knows.

 

[swt_passenger]

Have you missed all the previous discussions about battery fitted trains?

The class 230 was originally a diesel electric train - batteries came later.

Batteries will support extensions off the wires or third rail, but they’ll never be the first choice for long distance services.

 

[gazthomas]

Electrification is the solution. Everything else is a fudge that is more costly in the long term

 

[Bald Rick]

Yes they are, and they are coming...

There will still be a role for electrification of course. But battery hybrids will be a relatively common thing within a decade.

 

[Bevan Price]

Yes they are, and they are coming...

There will still be a role for electrification of course. But battery hybrids will be a relatively common thing within a decade.

But not using batteries for any high speed and/or long distance journeys -- overhead electrification will always be preferable for those sections of the journey, and even dozy DfT will some day have to recognise that diesel power will need to be largely phased out when CO2 production from internal combustion engines becomes increasingly unacceptable.

 

[Struner]

Yes they are, and they are coming...

There will still be a role for electrification of course. But battery hybrids will be a relatively common thing within a decade.

Battery Hybrids, yes. But not pure battery. That will be hydrogen instead.

 

[Bald Rick]

Battery Hybrids, yes. But not pure battery. That will be hydrogen instead.

Well, yes re battery hybrids, as the will need some method of collecting the current for charging, and by far the easiest way to do that is to have a pantograph or third rail shoes, or both. But I think there will be examples where trains spend 80%+ of their mileage (not time, note) off the wires / con rail.