Keywords: alternative traction, battery train, fleet procurement, operational experience, stakeholder analysis, systems modelling.

This paper presents a structured assessment of battery-electric and hydrogen multiple unit fleet introductions in German regional rail networks, covering 31 projects in operation or under procurement as of early 2026. A research database compiled from public tender notices, operator announcements, and expert exchanges forms the empirical basis. The analysis examines four dimensions: procurement and financing models, timescales from vehicle order to commissioning, charging infrastructure provision, and recurring operational challenges. The analysis reveals systematic patterns in planning timelines, recurring causes of commissioning delays, and structural differences between the two dominant procurement models. Delayed vehicle delivery and unsynchronised charging infrastructure were identified as the most frequent causes of commissioning delays across all networks examined. Two principal procurement models are compared using unified modelling language use case and sequence diagrams: authority-managed fleet pools and operator-procured vehicles. The structural differences in interface complexity, risk allocation, and scalability are discussed. The paper concludes that battery-electric traction introduction is a multi-dimensional optimisation problem with no universal solution, and derives recommendations for procurement planning, infrastructure coordination, and stakeholder responsibilities.

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