“For modern trams, there are now various second-generation catenary-less systems of which ground level supplies are just one solution. Others include the latest energy storage technology and overhead top-up at stations. All are the fruits of a commitment to innovation by manufacturers to challenge the conventional idea that trams must be powered from an overhead catenary.”
Bordeaux trams use the APS system which does not require overheads, for twelve kilometres of Bordeaux’s 44 kilometre tram