DE 18 authorised for France, Belgium and Luxembourg

On 6 December 2024, ERA granted two types of the DE 18 locomotives - the DE 18 Stage V and the DE 18 Stage V SmartHybrid - with the homologation for France, Belgium and  Luxembourg. First, it marks the approval of Europe’s first diesel-battery hybrid locomotive in the universal centre-cab segment. Second, it means the debut of the DE 18 in Belgium and the first centre-cab locomotive to combine the three countries.

To fulfil the national requirements, the entire process was carried out in close cooperation with the authorities in France, Belgium and Luxembourg. The assessment was executed by long-standing partner Certifer Belgorail. While the homologation for France and Luxembourg were technically updated, the DE 18 has now been approved for Belgium for the first time. The DE 18 SmartHybrid receives its initial homologation.

Henrik M. Egeter, Spokesman of the Management Board of Vossloh Rolling Stock, emphasises: ‘With the three-country version for France, Belgium and Luxembourg, we enable our customers – above all Nexrail – to use a highly efficient locomotive in cross-border traffic in every respect. While the diesel-electric DE 18 locomotive has been highly reliable in shunting, railway construction and mainline operations since its TSI approval and market launch in 2014, it has continually moved with the times, for example with the introduction of the Stage V engine for cleaner operation in 2022.“lo

In September 2021, Nexrail signed a framework agreement with Vossloh Rolling Stock for the purchase of the DE 18 SmartHybrids, with optional locomotives ordered in December 2022.