CAF Urbos


The CAF Urbos is a family of trams, streetcars, and light rail vehicles built by CAF. The Basque manufacturer CAF previously manufactured locomotives, passenger cars, regional, and underground trains. In 1993, CAF started building trams for Metrovalencia, with the delivery of 16 trams through 1999. This was a variant of a Siemens design and some components were delivered by Siemens, including bogies and traction motors. This design was also sold to Lisbon Trams in 1995; CAF then decided to design and build the Urbos in-house.
There are three generations of the CAF Urbos, known as the Urbos 1, Urbos 2, and Urbos 3. The first generation was ordered by the Bilbao tram operator, who received six trams between 2004 and 2006. The second generation was sold to other operators in Spain, and the third generation is sold in Spain, elsewhere in Europe, the United States, Australia and in the UK. Manufacturing locations include Beasain, Zaragoza and Linares, Spain; Elmira, New York, USA; Hortolandia, Brazil; Newport, UK; Huehuetoca, Mexico and Bagnères-de-Bigorre, France.

CAF Urbos 1

This series was only sold to Euskotren Tranbia to operate tram services in Bilbao. The original Bilbao tram system was shut down in 1964 and the second generation opened in December 2002 with extensions in 2004.
The CAF Urbos 3 is the successor of the Urbos 2; all new sales are of Urbos 3. The standard variants, the Urbos 100 and Urbos 70, have either a 100% or 70% low floor design, respectively, and a maximum speed of. The tram type is offered in meter gauge and standard gauge and allows for a tram width of. Trams can be assembled from 3, 5, 7 or 9 modules, with the length ranging between.
CAF has developed an option to build 'Greentech Freedrive' lithium-ion supercapacitors and batteries into the Urbos 3, allowing brief operation without an external electrical supply. This ACR system allowed the tramway operator in Seville to remove the overhead wires in key locations during Holy Week 2011. It has also been used in Luxembourg, Granada, Zaragoza and the West Midlands.

Urbos 70 and Urbos 100

Urbos AXL

Vehicles in the Urbos AXL series have larger modules and railway-style pivoting axle bogies. With a maximum speed of, it is designed for high-capacity, mass rapid transit systems.
The Urbos TT series is built with tram-train technology, connecting existing heavy rail infrastructure directly to urban tramway systems.

Urbos LRV

A three-section articulated car supported by three bogies, the LRV variant of Urbos is designed for the North American market and is customizable.