Overview
PIVOT2 is a continuation of the PIVOT project which was scheduled to finish in September 2019.
PIVOT2 will build on the work and concepts of PIVOT and move all of these concepts to higher TRL levels.
The overall ambition of PIVOT2 is to develop technologies that are lighter, more energy efficient, more comfortable for passengers and with a lower impact on the track, thereby reducing the life cycle cost not only of the vehicle itself, but of the entire railway system.
Technologies that increase the operational reliability of trains, causing less travel disruptions, ensuring that passengers get to destination on time and delivering a better service are also objectives. It is expected that technologies developed should automatically promote the increase of the transport capacity of railway lines.
The ambitions of Shift2Rail, which are inherited by PIVOT2, require substantial ground-breaking improvements in the six key technology areas addressed by the project. Indeed, current vehicle solutions are getting closer to their enhancement limits and new radical proposals must be envisaged to accomplish the goals. PIVOT2 will be dealing with the same five key technical demonstrator (TD) areas that were advanced in PIVOT, these are Car body shell, Running gear, Brakes, Accessibility and Doors and Modular Interiors. Within these areas the results are expected to achieve a TRL 7. A new TD for Heating, Ventilation and Air Conditioning (HVAC) has been added which should achieve a TRL 4.