On April 11, 2021, the hybrid meter-gauge EMU developed by CRRC for Malaysia was officially put into operation in Kelantan. The train uses a 4-section marshalling and runs at a speed of 120 kilometers per hour, which is also specially built for non-electrified lines on the east coast of Malaysia.

At the launching ceremony, Malaysian Minister of Transport Datuk Seri Wei Jiaxiang said that the performance and in-car facilities of the EMU are much better than those of existing trains. As a new type of rail transportation equipment, this EMU can be applied to a variety of power systems or For non-electrified lines, the operation of EMUs will also create more jobs, drive and improve the development of the surrounding industrial chain, and inject new vitality into Malaysia's rail transit system.

Advanced EMU

According to the research and development personnel of CRRC Zhuji, this EMU embodies the design concept of "green + intelligence". This EMU uses a hybrid power system of "Internal Combustion Power Pack + Super Capacitor Energy Storage Power Supply". When the train is traction, the super capacitor can provide high-power current for the train to start and accelerate in a short time; when the train is braking, the super capacitor can absorb and store more than 85% of the braking energy. The train uses super capacitor energy storage power supply as one of the power sources, which saves more than 20% of fuel consumption compared with traditional internal combustion EMUs. The train applies intelligent operation and maintenance technology, which can collect and transmit information such as operating status and faults in real time, automatically diagnose the operating status of the vehicle, and guide the corresponding maintenance work, which improves the intelligent level of the vehicle. Taking full account of the Islamic religious culture of Malaysia, the train is equipped with prayer rooms and parcel rooms; the passenger compartment seats can be adjusted flexibly, and it is equipped with lower height and wider pedaling ladders, which can adapt to various platform requirements.

It is understood that, relying on strong technical strength and advanced service concepts, CRRC has established the largest and most complete manufacturing base in Southeast Asia in Malaysia, and successfully built China's first overseas intercity EMU "4S" store. In 2012, the company's self-developed SCS intercity EMU was put into operation in Kuala Lumpur, the capital of Malaysia. In 2016, Malaysia’s locally produced ETS meter-gauge EMU was put into operation, mainly between Kuala Lumpur and Padang Besar on the Malaysian-Thailand border, with an average daily passenger volume of over 10,000. In 2019, Malaysia's locally produced ETS2 meter-gauge EMU rolled off the assembly line, becoming Malaysia's first EMU with a business cabin.Editor/Xing Wentao