The agreement also includes an option for a further 200 locomotives in Frankfurt and Kiel. Delivery of the new locomotives will begin in 2024.
The selected Vossloh DM 20 BDD drive variant has two diesel generator sets and a traction battery as energy storage. While the output of both of the latest-generation diesel engines is more than 900 kW and optimized control of the second engine at the optimum operating point enables significantly reduced fuel consumption and CO2 emissions, the battery capacity is over 120 kWh.
The energy storage system, with extremely safe and durable lithium titanate cells, according to the company, can be charged both externally (plug-in) and while driving, e.g., by using the braking energy.
Dr Bernd Hoppe, CEO of Vossloh Locomotives, said, “The framework agreement underpins the continued confidence of Germany’s largest logistics provider in rail freight transport in our long-established company and the Kiel production site. At the same time, it confirms that with our innovative platform concept for the DM 20 hybrid locomotive, we are putting a long-term future-proof success package on the rails. This center-cab locomotive is ideally suited to the range of tasks at DB Cargo, both in shunting and mainline operations.”
According to Vossloh, thanks to the fully redundant drive train, the customer can flexibly convert the vehicles for catenary operation with energy storage in the future, if required, to completely dispense with the use of diesel engines.
In addition to this so-called EBB drive variant, which Vossloh Locomotives has already sold to several customers, DB Cargo can even retroactively integrate energy storage and energy generation technologies that will be available in the future.