Railbus, a leading player in solar-powered, autonomous, and elevated transit systems, said it has made major progress on its new engineering and development hub at Dubai Silicon Oasis, and expects to complete the Railbus Development Hub (RDH) by May 2026.
Now under construction, the RDH covers 50,000 square feet and will play a crucial role in the company’s future plans when complete. Designed to accelerate the creation and deployment of sustainable, next-generation transport systems, it will serve as the backbone of Railbus’ global operations.
Dubai hub powers Railbus global vision
Railbus is a start-up company that creates the first 100 per cent solar-powered mass transportation system. Registered in the US and headquartered in Dubai, the company said the RDH is purpose-built to support every stage of product development – from initial concept to final deployment.
Anthony Joy, the Head of Engineering at Railbus, commented: “This facility will not only centralise our engineering and production efforts but also create an environment where innovative ideas can move quickly from concept to reality.
“The RDH will give our teams the tools and collaborative space needed to deliver world-class sustainable mobility solutions.”
The facility will feature several dedicated zones, including…
- Engineering and Design Centre: Supports full lifecycle management, including structural simulations and safety systems engineering.
- Assembly and Fabrication Zone: Equipped with modular production stations and advanced manufacturing tools for scalable assembly.
- Testing and Quality Control Lab: Built for comprehensive mechanical, electrical, and environmental system testing.
- Innovation Lab: A space for rapid prototyping, materials research, experimental design, and HMI development.
- Supplier and Integration Hub: Enables close coordination with clients and global subsystem partners.
- Showroom and Executive Boardroom: Designed for strategic presentations, vehicle displays, and investor engagement.
Railbus has been in the news ever since Dubai’s Roads and Transport Authority (RTA) announced plans to introduce the system during this year’s World Government Summit. RTA’s plans include a transport system that will feature vehicles measuring 11.5 meters in length and 2.65 meters in width, with each unit carrying 40 passengers at speeds of up to 100kph.
According to the Railbus website, the vehicles’ lightweight design and flexibility will reduce infrastructure maintenance costs compared to Dubai’s Metro track system.
The network will be elevated and end-to-end 100 per cent congestion-free. It will be built with ultra-light non-corrosive composite materials, which will be non-disruptive to build and quick to set up. Individual sections will be fabricated off-site, minimising assembly time.
