São Paulo Metro E stock

The São Paulo Metro E stock is a class of electric multiple units built by Alstom between 1996 and 1999.

Project and construction
With the expansion of the metro network, emerged a necessity to expand its rolling stock. In 1991, the São Paulo Metropolitan Company published the bid n° 00800310 for the acquisition of 67 trains of 6 cars each, divided as follows:


 * Allotment I – 45 trains for Vila Madalena–Vila Prudente Line
 * Allotment II – 22 trains, with 16 to complement the Line 3 fleet and 6 for the Itaquera–Guianases expansion

The bidding was won by Mafersa, but the company never could build the trains, as it went bankrupt in mid of a severe economic crisis, potentialized by the lack of funds by the metro company to process such acquisition. However, part of the contract (Allotment II) was kept valid after a judgment held in 1992 by the State Court of Accounts of São Paulo, creating a legal controversy, being assumed by French company Alstom.

Alstom resume the construction of 11 trains of Allotment II in 1996, later delivered in September 1999. After that, the Metropolitan Company and Alstom made a cultural competition to choose a new name for the metro fleet. The name "Milênio" (Millennium) was chosen, with a special logo below the train cab windshield and the winners received miniatures of the composition.

Service
Initially built to operate on Line 3-Red, the 11 trains were transferred to Line 2-Green, which did not have an own rolling stock. In 2014, this fleet was the one which had the largest number of failures of the Metro rolling stock, with lower performance than the A stock, built between 1972 and 1978. According to specialists, the E stock project has errors in motorization, suspension and ventilation.

Currently, the E stock is the only fleet which don't have an air conditioning system. Besides there are plans for the acquisition of new plans, the destination of this fleet was not confirmed.

Controversies
To expand its fleet, the Metropolitan Company used in 2007 the 1992 contract to acquire 16 more trains (a 15% additive compared to the original contract). Therefore, new Alstom trains were acquired, being named the G stock. This legal maneuver, however, was pleaded guilty by the State Court of Accounts of São Paulo in November 2017 because, according to the court, the maximum expire date of the contracts could not be over 5 years, and this bid expired in 1997.

Accidents and incidents

 * 23 December 2006 – A bomb was detonated in one of the E stock cars between Ana Rosa and Chácara Klabin stations. No one was harmed by the attack.