TOKYO, Oct. 25, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- Toshiba Corporation (TOKYO: 6502), Toshiba Infrastructure Systems & Solutions Corporation (hereinafter "TISS") and their client, Taiwan Railways Administration, MOTC (TRA), have been honored with two awards at Good Design Awards 2023, the annual awards sponsored by the Japan Institute of Design Promotion to honor good design and product quality. Both the "Good Design Best 100" and the "Good Focus Award [New Business Design]" were for the E500 electric locomotive that Toshiba and TISS are supplying to TRA.

TISS received an order for 68 for the E500 and their spare parts in October 2019^*1, and deliveries are currently underway. The E500 can haul both passenger and freight trains, and will enter operation on lines throughout Taiwan.

The Good Design Best 100 is a curation of competition entries selected for their excellence in originality, strength of proposal, aesthetics, and degree of realization. The E500 was selected for raising the bar for current standards of electric locomotive design, and serving as a model of future best practices.

The Good Focus Award [New Business Design] is a special award, following the Grand Award and the Gold Award, given by the Good Design jury to particularly outstanding designs that contribute to the creation of new business models, new industries, and the promotion of innovation. The E500 electric locomotive won a high evaluation for its customizability in the demanding terrain of Taiwan, its maintainability for long-term operation, and for promoting regional cooperation.

Comment from the Good Design Jury on the award-winning product:

Taiwan Railways Administration, MOTC Electric locomotive E500

The development of a modular electric locomotive platform has made it possible to customize to the local needs and to maintain the long term operation for more than 30 years, which is highly evaluated. The train nose shape gives the impression of the train. The train nose has an independent structure, which ensures the safety of the crew and passengers, and allows for flexible changes according to necessity. I highly appreciate the process that they have worked with an aesthetic expert in Taiwan, where the trains will be operated, to create a design that is familiar with and loved by local people.

Good Design Award winners will be exhibited at the GOOD DESIGN EXHIBITION 2023 at Tokyo Midtown from October 25 to 29.

About The Good Design Award

Established in 1957, Good Design Award is Japan's leading commendation system. Eligible for wide range of works including products, architecture, application and software, projects and initiatives that utilize design and more. Through this system, many people come in contact with "good design" and appreciate their value. The recognition rate of the award is 84%^*2, with its familiar symbol, G-Mark.

About Toshiba Corporation

Toshiba Corporation leads a global group of companies that combines knowledge and capabilities from almost 150 years of experience in a wide range of businesses-from energy and social infrastructure to electronic devices-with world-class capabilities in information processing, digital and AI technologies. These distinctive strengths support Toshiba in building infrastructure that everyone can enjoy, and a connected data society, and in achieving the Company's ultimate goal, a future that realizes carbon neutrality and a circular economy. Guided by the Basic Commitment of the Toshiba Group, "Committed to People, Committed to the Future," Toshiba contributes to society's positive development with services and solutions that lead to a better world. The Group and its 110,000 employees worldwide secured annual sales of 3.4 trillion yen (US$25.1 billion) in fiscal year 2022.

Find out more about Toshiba at www.global.toshiba/ww/outline/corporate.html

About Toshiba Infrastructure Systems & Solutions Corporation

TISS is the core company promoting Toshiba Group's business in social infrastructure. Split off from Toshiba Corporation in 2017, TISS and its group companies promote realization of reliable products and systems for a sustainable future that is safe and secure, and seeks to improve value for customers with solutions for social and industrial infrastructure, buildings and facilities.

*1: Press release, October 2019
https://www.global.toshiba/ww/news/infrastructure/2019/10/news-20191017-01.html

*2: According to the latest survey by Japan Institute of Design Promotion in 2020.
http://www.g-mark.org/