Stadler’s Landmark Contract for Hybrid Locomotives
Stadler, the renowned Swiss railway equipment manufacturer, has secured a significant contract with Luxembourg-based Nexrail to build up to 200 hybrid locomotives of the EURO9000 model. While Stadler hasn’t disclosed precise financial details, reports suggest the order could amount to €1.4 billion, given that previous similar contracts were valued around €7 million per unit. This initiative is particularly noteworthy as all manufacturing will take place at Stadler’s facility in Albuixech, Valencia.
A Boost for the Valencian Industry
This substantial order provides a crucial influx of work for the Valencian factory, solidifying its status as a vital production hub within the Stadler group. The Albuixech plant will be tasked with producing the most powerful locomotives currently manufactured in Europe, showcasing both the technical prowess and industrial capacity inherent in the Valencian workforce.
Hybrid Technology: A Sustainable Leap Forward
The EURO9000 hybrid locomotives utilize a combination of pantographs and battery systems integrated into a six-axis platform. This multi-system design enables seamless operation across borders in Germany, Austria, Belgium, the Netherlands, Switzerland, and Italy. Notably, the locomotives can ferry goods from terminal to terminal without emissions, effectively reducing reliance on diesel—a fuel still dominant in many European transport corridors.
Enhancements in Power and Efficiency
Stadler claims these locomotives can operate independently, even on challenging routes such as transalpine corridors, without an additional thrust locomotive. The battery system enhances performance on direct current networks, allowing for greater load capacities and improved efficiency. Furthermore, an intelligent battery management system enables optimal regenerative braking, leading to decreased costs during peak electrical demand and allowing energy procurement during off-peak pricing periods.
The First Operator and Client
The first recipient of these advanced locomotives will be Hamburger Rail Service (HRS). According to HRS’s CEO, Adem Gülaz, “The EURO9000 with pantograph and batteries offers HRS a unique combination of flexible traction on lines with or without catenary, high traction capacity for our heavy loads, and zero-emission operations.”
Paving the Way for Decarbonization
Iñigo Parra, the president of Stadler Valencia, emphasized the order’s significance in commitment to sustainable innovation in rail freight transport. In contrast, Nexrail’s CEO, Luuk von Meijenfeldt, remarked on the excitement surrounding leading the European locomotive market toward a zero-emissions future, indicating that this order marks a pivotal step in that transition.
Aligning with Europe’s Climate Goals
The rail freight sector is undergoing a transformation to meet Europe’s climate objectives. Although full electrification of railways is economically unfeasible at this juncture, hybrid locomotives equipped with batteries present a viable, flexible solution for decarbonizing the transport industry without sacrificing the operational usability of diesel engines on non-electrified routes.