Kawasaki Selected as Manufacturer of New Express EMUs for Tobu Railway

Tokyo, April 22, 2015 — Kawasaki Heavy Industries, Ltd. announced today that it has been selected as the manufacturer of the Tobu 500 series electric multiple unit (EMU) trains. Twenty-four cars of the new limited express EMUs, to be supplied in eight three-car sets, will be manufactured at the Hyogo Works in Kobe, and delivered to Tobu Railway in FY2016.

These fast and comfortable trains can be coupled or split to suit the needs of different types of operations. In addition to active suspension systems on all the cars for improved ride quality, the EMUs feature high-efficiency permanent magnet synchronous motors (PMSM), aluminum car bodies, and LED lighting for reduced impact on the environment. Improved services and barrier-free designs are also key: Wi-Fi will be available in addition to electric outlets for computers; AEDs and medical support equipment will be installed; and there will be spaces for wheelchairs as well as wheelchair-accessible toilets.

The exterior design of the EMUs is both modern and symbolic, just as Tokyo Skytree^® is, while the interior uses the color of Edo murasaki—royal purple that has traditionally represented Edo (old Tokyo)—for seating, with the ceilings designed to evoke images of the Kinugawa River and the Sumida River, which run along the Tobu Lines. The appealing qualities of communities along the train lines are echoed in the design of the EMUs.

This is the first time Kawasaki will manufacture and deliver EMUs for Tobu Railway since the delivery of the Tobu 63 series commuter trains in 1946.

With its high reliability and technological capability, Kawasaki will continue to manufacture railway cars—an environmentally-friendly means of transportation—for its customers in and outside Japan.