Metra has ordered eight battery-electric Stadler FLIRT trainsets, and the first U.S.-built example will be shown at the APTA EXPO and TRANSform conference ahead of an expected entry into passenger service by 2028.

Stadler US will present the vehicle together with the Chicago commuter operator. The train runs on onboard lithium-ion batteries, allowing zero-local-emission operation on non-electrified corridors without full corridor electrification — the core cost argument behind the purchase.

What does the battery FLIRT change for Metra?

The trainset is based on Stadler's existing FLIRT platform. According to the manufacturer, it can recharge through three channels:

• existing 480V cabling in yards and terminals;
• dedicated charging infrastructure;
• energy recovered through regenerative braking.

Stadler says this flexibility lets operators run electric service on routes where conventional overhead electrification may not be economically feasible. For Metra, that frames the eight trainsets as a way to cut emissions and noise on lines that would otherwise stay diesel-powered.

Martin Ritter, CEO of Stadler North America, said: "As transit agencies across North America explore practical pathways toward reducing emissions, battery-electric rail technology is becoming an increasingly attractive solution."

He added: "We are proud to present the first U.S. battery FLIRT and demonstrate how innovative vehicle technology can help agencies achieve their sustainability, service, and operational goals."

Both statements are supplier claims that will be tested against Metra's fleet deployment plans once the trains approach their 2028 service date.

What do operators and regional officials expect?

Metra Executive Director and CEO Jim Derwinski tied the order to the agency's broader strategy. He said: "This purchase demonstrates Metra's commitment to cleaner power, to quieter trains and to thinking outside the box as we plan for our future."

Derwinski added: "We are excited to bring this technology, and its efficiency, flexibility and reliability to Chicago and to our riders."

The new Northern Illinois Transit Authority (NITA) also backs the order. Chairman Tom Kotarac said: "These new trainsets are coming at a perfect time."

"As NITA begins its work to create a more cohesive and useful public transportation system in northeast Illinois, we are excited about the potential for these new trainsets to help increase service and improve regional connectivity while at the same time reducing regional pollution and noise," Kotarac said.

Is there operating evidence behind the technology?

Stadler points to its FLIRT Akku fleet in Germany as proof the concept works in revenue service. Those trains entered passenger service in 2023 and now operate on partially electrified regional networks, replacing diesel-powered services.

That is measured, delivered performance in Europe. The U.S. results remain projections: no battery FLIRT has yet run in North American passenger operation, and Metra's fleet of eight will be the test case.

Stadler also claims broader operational benefits for modern multiple-unit trainsets, including faster acceleration, improved energy efficiency and an enhanced passenger experience. As with the environmental claims, those outcomes depend on how Metra integrates the trains into its timetables and yards.

Why the timing matters

For U.S. transit agencies weighing decarbonization without the capital cost of stringing overhead wire, battery-electric multiple units present a middle path. Metra's order — eight trainsets, in service by 2028 — is one of the first concrete commitments at this scale for a major commuter railroad.

The APTA EXPO display will give other North American operators a first close look at the hardware. Stadler, for its part, will be positioning the Metra trains as the reference fleet for a market where partial electrification, yard charging and regenerative braking could define the next generation of regional rail procurement.