EV-E301 series

The EV-E301 series, branded ACCUM, is a Japanese battery electric multiple unit operated by the East Japan Railway Company since March 2014.
==History==
Based on the earlier Smart BEST battery electric multiple unit, the EV-E301 series was produced to replace the older KiHa 40 series cars that had operated on the Karasuyama Line for quite some time. The first set, V1, was delivered from J-TREC's Yokohama Factory on 21 January 2014 and entered service on 15 March 2014 on the Karasuyama Line; three more sets were delivered in January 2017. 
The goal of the EV-E301 series sets was achieved on 3 March 2017, when the last KiHa 40 series car on the line retired. The other three sets were put into service the next day with the introduction of the revised timetable. All four sets are in service and are all based at Ōyama Depot. The sets run on the Tōhoku Main Line and the Karasuyama Line, with operations of the sets based in the latter. The sets run on the Tōhoku Main Line under overhead power; however, the Karasuyama Line is non-electrified, so they run on battery power on said line.
As the set was voted as having the most outstanding functional and design features, the EV-E301 series is the recipient of the 2015 Laurel Prize.
==Design==
The sets are quite heavily based on the E233 series sets, so some design language carries over. The sets have unpainted stainless steel bodies with green accents on the sides. The ACCUM logo is prominently seen on the sides of the cars, with a black ACCUM and Energy Accumulating Vehicle subtitle on the sides. A small white ACCUM logo is also seen splashed on the front.
==Specifications==
Construction is of stainless steel based on J-TREC's Sustina concept. Each car is 20 meters long, 2.8 meters wide and 3.62 meters high. Traction motors are two-level insulated gate bipolar transistor variable frequency drives manufactured by Mitsubishi which produce a rather unique cadence.
As mentioned above, the EV-E301 series sets are battery electric multiple units and feature underbody 190 kWh storage batteries which allow it to run on the non-electrified Karasuyama Line. The onboard batteries can be charged via two methods; through the train's regenerative brakes which route some of the power from braking to charge the batteries, or through overhead lines. The sets normally undergo charging at a small purpose-built charging facility at Karasuyama Station on the Karasuyama Line, being charged via its specialized single-arm pantographs.
Set V1 was originally delivered with small LED fixtures; these were changed to large LED fixtures some time in 2017.
==Gallery==
EV-E301 V1 Karasuyama Charge 2014.jpg|Recharging process
==Trivia==
*The EV in the set's designation stands for Energy Accumulating Vehicle, while ACCUM comes from the word Accumulator, according to various press releases.
==References==
*Wikipedia.org
Category:Electric trainsets
Category:Battery-electric trainsets
Category:JR Group trains
Category:J-TREC locomotives
Category:Built in 2014
Category:Built in 2017