Following a successful feasibility study on the joint development of a new hybrid locomotive with Toshiba (earlier post), DB Cargo is now ordering the first 50 locomotives. The freight operating company will lease another 50 locomotives.

Preparation of series assembly of the locomotives starts in 2021 at DB Cargo’s maintenance depot in Rostock.

The 50 new hybrid locomotives will replace 61 legacy locomotives and are a component of DB’s “Strong Rail” strategy, which promotes growth in rail freight transport.

Together with Toshiba, we are setting standards in what is a vital technology for the future. Their new drive systems will allow our shunting yards to work in a more resource-efficient way, with annual energy savings of 30% and diesel fuel savings of 1 million liters per year. Alongside this, modern technology will make using the vehicles easier for our staff.

—Dr Sigrid Nikutta, Board Member for Freight Transport and DB Cargo CEO

Toshiba is very proud to design its first European shunting locomotive for DB Cargo combining European and Japanese high standards of engineering. Our Toshiba HDB 800 is equipped with state-of-the art technologies including our SCiB lithium-ion battery system which was certified by TUV Rheinland.

—Takayuki Konno, Corporate Senior Vice President of Toshiba Corporation and President/CEO of Toshiba Infrastructure Systems & Solutions Corporation

In addition to the considerably reduced diesel consumption and lower maintenance costs, the diesel-battery hybrid locomotives offer greater quality to customers through higher average fleet availability. Furthermore, the battery modules can be charged via external power supply, further increasing the proportion of renewable energy used in rail freight transport.