Timothy Jackson (L) and Rachel Picard (R), co-founders of French private high-speed rail company Velvet, pose in front of their company's Avelia Horizon train at the Alstom plant in Aytré, near La Rochelle, south-western France, on April 16, 2026. (Photo by Philippe LOPEZ / AFP via Getty Images)

Chinese battery manufacturer CATL's domestic car business chief technology officer (CTO) Gao Huan introduces CATL's Freevoy Super Hybrid Battery II during the CATL Tech Day event ahead of the Beijing Auto Show in Beijing on April 21, 2026. (Photo by WANG Zhao / AFP via Getty Images)

Timothy Jackson (L) and Rachel Picard (R), co-founders of French private high-speed rail company Velvet, pose in front of their company's Avelia Horizon train at the Alstom plant in Aytré, near La Rochelle, south-western France, on April 16, 2026. (Photo by Philippe LOPEZ / AFP via Getty Images)

Timothy Jackson, co-founder of French private high-speed rail company Velvet, poses beside the company's Avelia Horizon train at the Alstom manufacturing plant in Aytré, near La Rochelle, south-western France, on April 16, 2026. (Photo by Philippe LOPEZ / AFP via Getty Images)

The Avelia Horizon high-speed train built for French private rail operator Velvet is pictured at the Alstom manufacturing plant in Aytré, near La Rochelle, south-western France, on April 16, 2026. (Photo by Philippe LOPEZ / AFP via Getty Images)

The Avelia Horizon high-speed train built for French private rail operator Velvet is pictured at the Alstom manufacturing plant in Aytré, near La Rochelle, south-western France, on April 16, 2026. (Photo by Philippe LOPEZ / AFP via Getty Images)

The logo of Velvet is pictured on the side of the company's double-deck Avelia Horizon high-speed train at the Alstom plant in Aytré, near La Rochelle, south-western France, on April 16, 2026. (Photo by Philippe LOPEZ / AFP via Getty Images)

An aerial view shows the Avelia Horizon high-speed train built for French private rail operator Velvet parked alongside the Alstom manufacturing plant in Aytré, near La Rochelle, south-western France, on April 16, 2026. (Photo by Philippe LOPEZ / AFP via Getty Images)