6-11-2025. Flash, High Speed, Rolling Stock ICE 3 neo/Velaro neo train from DB's 408 series. (CC BY-SA) ROB DAMMERS-Wikimedia Commons. Ricardo Ramos, CEO of Siemens Mobility for Spain and Southern Europe, has announced that the manufacturer will compete in Renfe’s tender to supply new AVE units. He revealed this in an interview with the business magazine Cinco Días, following the visit of the Minister of Transport and Sustainable Mobility to Siemens’ production plant in Düsseldorf, Germany. Is Renfe going to procure new high-speed AVE trains? Yes. Minister Puente announced the visit in response to the issues affecting the Talgo Avril fleet, five of whose withdrawn trains have already been returned to Renfe after undergoing repairs. ¿Te cansan los anuncios que interrumpen tu lectura? Con Trenvista Premium, disfruta de una experiencia sin anuncios y acceso a contenido exclusivo. Únete por sólo 35€ al año y aprovecha ventajas exclusivas diseñadas para personas expertas en el ferrocarril. ★ Descubre Trenvista Premium However, some industry insiders warn that the homologation process in France—already slow—could face further complications. In addition, the series 100 units are nearing forty years of service, with retirement expected within next years, prompting Renfe to plan their replacement. In an interview with Trenvista, Renfe’s chairman Álvaro Fernández Heredia confirmed that a procurement process is underway and that discussions are being held with all major rolling stock manufacturers, including CRRC. This constitutes a preliminary step ahead of the official tender, with updates expected in the near term. Velaro Neo or Velaro Novo: Siemens’ Contenders As detailed in Trenvista’s analysis of the trains that Minister Óscar Puente “went to look for” in Germany, Siemens could pitch two of its latest-generation models to Renfe: the Velaro Neo and the Velaro Novo. The Velaro Neo, currently being produced for Deutsche Bahn (BR 408) and Egypt, offers a significant edge thanks to an active production line—potentially shortening lead times, despite heavy workload at Siemens plants. Another key advantage lies in its multi-country homologation across Europe, with French certification expected soon. This could expedite approval in Spain and enable early deployment on cross-border services. These competitive advantages are shared by Hitachi’s ETR 1000 fleet, already in service with Iryo in Spain—another strong contender in Renfe’s sights. The Velaro Novo, meanwhile, represents a riskier proposition. It has yet to secure an operator in Europe—Gemini, its likely first buyer, lost its initial chance to compete against Eurostar—and lacks a running production line. Opting for this model would require starting the homologation process virtually from scratch.