Bodyshells are being fabricated at HRI's plant in Reggio Calabria, Italy, with final assembly taking place at the company's Pittsburg facility in California.

Honolulu Authority for Rapid Transit (Hart) ordered the trains as part of the $US 1.33bn design-build-operate-maintain core contract awarded to AnsaldoBreda (now Hitachi Rail Italy) and Ansaldo STS in 2011. Each train will accommodate up to 800 passengers including 192 seated.

The initial section of the line from East Kapolei to Aloha Stadium is due to open in 2018 with the remainder of the line to Ala Moana Center scheduled for commissioning in 2021.