More and more of
For rolling stock buyers, the concept is quickly becoming an economical and environmental game-changer. Cost calculations take functional and performance targets over the train's lifetime into account. This leads to improvements and new developments in train architecture, energy consumption, lightweight and maintenance-friendly train designs, reliable performance, digital solutions and much more - making TCO an enabler for innovation and green mobility.
All of this is especially interesting for commuter trains, as they offer a broad range of operations from inner-city to regional networks, combining the challenge of high passenger volumes and short dwell times with passenger comfort for longer journeys.
What is Total Cost of Ownership
TCO is a financial estimate used to help operators assess the complete cost of acquiring, operating, and maintaining a product, service or system over its entire lifecycle. TCO takes into account not only upfront costs, such as purchase price, installation and setup, but also ongoing costs, such as energy consumption, maintenance, support, training, operational expenses, and potential downtime.
Why should our customers adopt a 'TCO approach'
Thinking about TCO before making a purchase helps operators to make more informed decisions about their investments. Not only will it reduce costs in the long term; it can help them anticipate and plan infrastructure management and maintenance activities. This approach is particularly important in the railway industry, where the trains run for at least 30 years, meaning that long-term reliability, efficiency, and operational continuity are critical factors in decision-making.
Optimising TCO isn't just good for the operator - when you optimise the train design with a view to improving energy efficiency and requiring fewer spare parts, it's also good for the environment.
How does
Building a TCO-optimised train calls for energy-efficient propulsion systems, lightweight materials and maintenance-friendly designs, as well as standardisation and a modular approach for more streamlined manufacturing.
Working with experts all over the world, we use sophisticated optimisation tools, simulations and algorithms to offer TCO-optimised trains to our customers.
But
What's the best way for commuter solutions purchasers to adopt a TCO approach
It's all about communication! At
There are many other steps operators can take to ensure TCO-optimised trains in their tenders. These include clearly defining expectations, implementing performance-based contracts, and requesting comprehensive lifecycle cost assessments right from the tender stage. Benchmarking proposals against industry best practices is a good way to assess the efficiency and cost-effectiveness of the solutions being proposed.
Finally, building long-term partnerships with suppliers fosters ongoing developments and allows continuous optimisation of entire transport eco-systems to achieve the best TCO balance.
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