Akiem signed a major contract with ODEG for the leasing of FLIRT AKKUs

On 14 July 2025, Akiem announced that it has signed a 13-year lease contract for 14 BEMUs with ODEG (Ostdeutsche Eisenbahn GmbH, a subsidiary of BeNEX and NETINERA). This contract covers the delivery of FLIRT AKKU units, which will be supplied by Stadler starting in 2027. 

The acquisition is funded by the German Federal Ministry for Transport (BMV). This funding is part of the "Alternative Powertrains in Rail Transport" directive of 3 February 2021, co-financed by the German Recovery and Resilience Plan (DARP) with European funds (NextGenerationEU), implemented by NOW GmbH and Project Management Jülich (PtJ).

Germany is striving to make rail a more sustainable mode of transport, with the goal of phasing out all diesel trains in new concessions in the medium term. To this end, the Mecklenburg- Western Pomerania Transport Company (VMV, Verkehrsgesellschaft Mecklenburg-Vorpommern) is committed to developing electric rail mobility on behalf of the state of Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania. ODEG will deploy the new BEMUs for the first time on the West Mecklenburg II network on behalf of VMV, as part of the state's decarbonization strategy. 

Stefan Neubert, CEO of ODEG, said: "With the deployment of the FLIRT BEMUs, a new era is dawning for our vehicle fleet. Our goal is to combine sustainable mobility with optimal quality for our passengers: reliability, comfort, and environmental friendliness. Starting in 2025, we will expand our maintenance center in Parchim to recharge the electric batteries and maintain the new FLIRT AKKUs."

Convinced that the development of rail transportation is essential to achieving greenhouse gas emission reduction targets and promoting a modal shift from road to rail, Akiem is fully committed to this dynamic and intends to actively contribute to the modernization of Europe's rail fleet by investing heavily in the coming years alongside transport authorities and operators. Supported by La Caisse (formerly CDPQ), its major shareholder, the company is positioning itself as a committed player in promoting a more integrated and efficient European rail system, where the exchange of best practices is encouraged and speed of execution at all stages of projects is a key factor.

This contract therefore marks an important step in Akiem's development strategy in the European passenger train leasing market. Mathieu Brémont, Managing Director in charge of the Passenger Train business at Akiem, said: "We are particularly proud of this new partnership which marks our entry into the German market, won with the trust of a first-class partner, ODEG, as well as its shareholders, BeNEX and ETINERA. The passenger rail transport market is undergoing rapid change, against the backdrop of an unprecedented need for investment in complex mobility projects.

This environment offers new opportunities for players like Akiem, a French player present in 21 countries across Europe, to offer economically competitive operational leasing solutions that include real technical expertise in equipment management. We are convinced that our model, which offers operators cost control, reduced risks and increased flexibility, perfectly meets the needs of the market. Akiem wants to invest in innovative and low-carbon technologies, and thanks to its technical expertise, it intends to support operators and transport authorities in the deployment of these technologies on the market."