Akiem Enters the German Passenger Train Market by Investing in Carbon-Free Technology
This contract covers the acquisition and leasing to ODEG of a fleet of 14 Stadler Akku Flirt 3L battery-powered electric trains. The lease agreement runs from December 2027 to December 2040, replacing a fleet of diesel trains. The choice of these battery-electric trains is in line with Germany’s decarbonization ambition, which aims to replace diesel by 2030.
This innovative self-propelled train is designed to offer a long range thanks to its batteries, enabling operation on non-electrified lines while significantly reducing CO2 emissions: these trains can travel at least 100 km in autonomous mode without requiring electric line infrastructure. The fleet will operate on a regional network in Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania, serving the Rehna–Parchim and Parchim–Plau am See lines, with an annual volume of 2.1 million train kilometers.
Akiem, supported by Crédit Agricole Corporate and Investment Bank as sole “structuring bank”, has arranged the financing of this operation of more than €100 million with the support of a banking pool composed of Crédit Agricole Corporate and Investment Bank, CIC, La Banque Postale, and Natwest. The financing includes an investment grant from the Federal Ministry of Transport (BMV) as part of the energy transition.
An investment strategy to benefit the rail mobility of tomorrow
Akiem’s positioning in the passenger train leasing market is part of a global strategy to invest and grow in this sector, supported by an equity injection from its shareholder La Caisse (formerly CDPQ), the world’s largest institutional infrastructure investor, which acquired 100% of Akiem’s shares in December 2022.
Akiem plans to invest more than €1 billion in continental Europe in the coming years, particularly in the German and French markets. In a context of constrained public budgets and unprecedented demand for railway rolling stock, the leasing model proposed by Akiem, combining efficient financing and genuine railway expertise, stands out as an effective solution to strengthen rail mobility in the regions and meet the budgetary challenges of the regions and the State.
We are pleased to bring this project to fruition with our client ODEG and the manufacturer Stadler. Our teams are committed to providing regions and rail operators with concrete, robust, and agile solutions, both financially and industrially. We are proud to be contributing to the development of sustainable mobility in the regions.