Italian design and engineering company Italdesign has been contracted by CRRC Guangzhou Electric Locomotive to develop a new tram for Guangzhou, China.
The vehicle will be the first metropolitan tram designed by CRRC Guangzhou Electric Locomotive and is scheduled to be presented later this year, following an 18-month development period.
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Italdesign engineers worked with CRRC to develop the vehicle's final design, which is intended to reflect Cantonese traditions and culture.
Italdesign Industrial Design Styling head Nicola Guelfo said: “The graphic part is unquestionably the most eye-catching aspect, but as always we took an all-round approach to our work.
“We did a lot of work on the ergonomics, for both the passengers and the staff. For example, the layout of the seats is based on careful analysis of the flows in and out of carriages.
“Meanwhile, when we were working on the driver’s cab, which is perhaps the most cutting-edge and technological part of the whole tram, we had regular, extended discussions with staff in order to appreciate their needs and requirements on the move.”
The new tram's external graphic patterns take inspiration from the Guangzhou’s traditional ‘dancing lion’, while the inside handrails exhibit the architectural structure of the Canton Tower.
Additionally, the new tram will be a 70% low vehicle, meaning passengers with prams and wheelchairs can also board the vehicle comfortably due to the majority of each carriage's length being situated at pavement level.
Image: An artist's impression of the new Guangzhou tram. Photo: courtesy of Italdesign Giugiaro S.p.A.
