With locomotive drive ordinary car card compared,the advantages of EMU is:1 EMU cab at both ends,make a U-turn when the train without first locomotive at one end and then moved to the other end of the hook,greatly accelerate the speed of operation.At the same time,bus services to reduce staff and improve safety.(locomotive push-pull operation can also be used to achieve the same effect) 2 EMU growth can easily mix different short train.EMU in some places will be as a whole,to the station half-way cut-off into several separate,separate to different destinations.EMU following advantages of distributed power is particularly evident:1 higher power efficiency; especially on the slope.EMU placed the weight of cars driving force in all of the wheels,but will not be dragged behind the locomotive load useless.2 because of the same reason,the demand of the power shaft EMU on the track of adhesive force is low,the load per axle less.EMU is therefore selected the high-speed railway line,civil engineering on line and track the requirements of relatively low.3 EMU power because of the motor is more,so the regenerative braking ability.For more stops in suburban commuter rail,underground railway,which was particularly evident advantages.4 for EMU running fast,covers an area of small,walking on the outskirts of many commuter rail emu.Light rail,underground railway is also used in almost all EMU.
跟用机车拖动普通车卡相比,动车组的优点是：1.动车组在两端都有驾驶室,列车掉头时无需先把机车在一端脱钩后再移到另一端挂钩,大为加快运转的速度.同时亦减少车务人员的工作及提高安全.（机车亦可以用推拉操作达到一样的效果） 2.动车组可以容易组合成长短不同的列车.有些地方的动车组会先整成一列,到中途的车站分开成数截,分别开向不同的目的地.当中动力分散的动车组以下的优点特别明显：1.动力效率较高；特别是在斜坡上.动车组车卡的重量放置在各个带动力的车轮上,而不会成为拖在机车后面无用的负重.2.因为同样的原因,动车组上的动力轴对路轨黏著力的要求较低,每轴的载重亦较少.因此选用动车组的高速铁路路线,对路线的土木工程及路轨的要求都较为低.3.电力动车组因为有较多的电动机,所以再生制动能力良好.对於停站较多的近郊通勤铁路、地下铁路,这优点特别明显.4.因为动车组运转快、占地小,行走市郊的通勤铁路很多都是动车组.轻便铁路、地下铁路使用的亦几乎全是动车组
