New Stib trains are currently under construction in Spain, with the first of them likely to be running on the Brussels metro network by 2020.
A Spanish company, Construcciones y Auxiliar de Ferrocarriles (CAF), based near Bilbao, has been hired to build the new trains. Designed by Belgian designer Axel Enthoven, the M7 (the official name of the new model) is already operational in parts of Spain.
43 M7 models are planned to arrive in Belgium by the end of next year. They will be wider than the M6 model currently operational in the Belgian capital (1m60 compared to 1.45m), and will also offer more general seating (758 compared to 716) and places for people with disabilities. Furthermore, the trains will be equipped with a more efficient air conditioning system and state-of-the-art digital displays. M7 models also have the potential to one day be fully automated.