[2] Plans to establish such a system were first announced during 2016; development work was headed by the Warwick Manufacturing Group (WMG) and Transport Design International (TDI).
It was designed to be substantially cheaper to establish than conventional tramways and light railways, making use of batteries to avoid installing expensive overhead line equipment along much of the route, along with a new, thinner track system that is easier to lay and repair.
During early 2018, WMG started formalising its procurement arrangements with various industrial partners to complete development and produce the vehicle.
[2] Further expansion of the network is intended after this point to cover various commercial, residential, and industrial districts of Coventry, as well as linking up with other transit hubs.
[7] That same month, it was suggested that an initial section of the system, running between the railway station and the city centre, could open as early as 2021.
[2] It is reportedly scheduled for the first demonstrator vehicle to be completed by the end of 2023 or the start of 2024, after which it will be subject to a series of tests in advance of its delivery during the following year.
Testing will be conducted at the Very Light Rail National Innovation Centre in Castle Hill, Dudley, West Midlands.
This is relatively lightweight and shallower than traditional tramway track, enabling it to be laid over existing utilities and thus avoiding the need for these to be relocated, requiring less excavation; all of these factors make it quicker and cheaper to install.
[7][13][2][14] If required, the track can be dismantled and reused at other locations, being held together by a series of clips; this feature has also been promoted for ease of maintenance.
[7] Furthermore, it is hoped that the successful demonstration of the technology at Coventry will give developers and planners elsewhere confidence to deploy their own networks at other locations.