In 2005, Irish Rail ordered a new type of diesel multiple units for intercity service that was designated class 22000. Their official name is “Intercity Railcar” and they were built to replace loco-hauled trains. They were designed by the Japanese Mitsui group, but only the bogies were built in Japan by Tokyu Car and the rest came from Hyundai Rotem of South Korea.
Each set originally consisted of three to five cars. Each one has a 483 hp MTU diesel engine mated to a Voith hydrodynamic transmission, powering both axles of one bogie. This allows for a top speed of 100 mph or 161 km/h. After 63 units had been delivered by 2011, a new order for three additional sets and 41 intermediate cars had been announced in 2018. These additional cars were used to lengthen the sets, some to six cars. Meanwhile, the existing sets were refurbished in the interior with emphasis on easier maintenance and cleaning.
