The State Government of Sarawak has announced that it plans on purchasing 38 Autonomous Rail Rapid Transit (ART) vehicles for the Kuching Urban Transportation System (KUTS) in Malaysia. The vehicles will be manufactured and supplied by China-based CRRC Zhuzhou Locomotive Company Limited.
The ART vehicles will feature original independent guidance and track-following technology, and allows for short construction periods, adaptability, and flexible operation and dispatch. With a speed of 70km/hour, the vehicles will be able to carry around 300 passengers at a given time. Trackless articulated hydrogen-powered electric vehicles are also low carbon and environmentally friendly.
The KUTS project will be executed in two phases, with works on the first phase covering 52 km is scheduled to commence in 2022. The entire Phase One is expected to be operational by 2027.
