InnoTrans 2024 report (18)

Nexrail Lease exhibited two locomotives, a representative of the first DE18 SmartHybrid series in production and the brand new pure battery e6, developed and produced in cooperation with the Italian company IPE 2000 Locomotori.

The Luxembourg-based Nexrail Lease was founded in 2021 and to start its operations, it took over 42 locomotives from Vossloh Locomotives from its pool at that time (3x G 1000, 1x G 18, 16x G 6, 7x DE 12 and 15x DE 18), takeover of 11 more DE 18 locomotives was then agreed for 2025. At the same time when the 2021 contract was conculded, Nexrail awarded a framework contract for up to 50 new build locomotives of the DE 18 SmartHybrid (DE 18 SH). Of these, 20 were firmly ordered at the same time and 10 more were ordered later.

Already at InnoTrans 2018 and 2022 a locomotive of the type DE 18 with the Smart-Hybrid was on display; however, in both of these cases these were just demonstrations for visitors, not a locomotive finally realized in this design. However, at the last InnoTrans it was a machine in Nexrail colours exhibited by Vossloh Rolling Stock (VRS), which was then the new identity of former Vossloh Locomotives after the takeover by CRRC.

This year, Nexrail had its own display with two locomotives that represented further progress in its operations. The DE 18 SH (number 4185 202) was one of nine  locomotives produced so far from the aforementioned contract.

The SmartHybrid is essentially an auxiliary „last mile“ battery module that can simply be fitted into a space under the main frame that can otherwise, optionally, house a 1,000 litre auxiliary fuel tank. The battery used is an Li-Ion NMC battery with a nominal capacity of 73.6 kWh and the ability to draw 184 kW of continuous power and up to 592 kW of short-term power. It can be recharged when the locomotive is stationary from an external power source and by fast charging from the locomotive's diesel generator. The SH can only be used as a stand-alone unit, not in conjunction with a basic internal combustion engine (which is MTU of 1 800 kW). Electrodynamic brake is not regenerative, so kinetic energy from braking is not used for charging the battery.

In the first phase, the DE 18 SH type will be approved for operation in France, Belgium and the Luxembourg, which is currently expected in December 2024. After that, deliveries will begin in January 2025 and will mostly be finished before the summer of the same year. The first 25 locomotives are to be delivered in 2025 and the remaining five in early 2026. Next in line will be approval for Germany (expected in Q3 2025). The approval for Germany will be accompanied by approval for ETCS supervised operation. OBU ETCS Level 2 BaseLine 3 of the Onvia Cab type (formerly known as Atlas) from Alstom are to be used. These are not installed in the locomotives from the beginning and will be installed later if necessary.

If we consider the function of the SH module only as an auxiliary drive, the DE 18 locomotives are currently only one of the few diesel locomotives in production
suitable for mainline service. The same can be said of the EffiShunters, however the production of CZ LOKO and Vossloh Rolling Stock currently has a certain
divided markets, as EffiShunters are not (yet) offered with Indusi/PZB for operation in Germany and Austria and conversely the DE 18 type does not have ATP required for operation in the countries east of the latter countries. Nexrail however states that although earlier consideration of a version equipped with the MIREL VZ1 was abandoned due to lack of interest, it will be reconsidered in the future.

In any case, Nexrail is thinking about progressive use of new drive systems, which he declared with the second exhibit with a locomotive that was a complete innovation, the IPE e6. Although the pure battery e6 appears inspired by the G6 type of Kiel-based Vossloh Rolling Stock, its design and specs are the result of own initiative and ideas of 2000 Locomotori and Nexrail. The latter approached traditional manufacturers such as Vossloh Rolling Stock or Alstom Transport for battery-centric concepts for a G6 successor, but they were not interested. A deal was eventually struck with the Italian company IPE Locomotori 2000, following an introduction by Vossloh Rolling Stock, as it has been working with the company on the project of G1001 locomotives (complete rebuilds of VRS G1000s), concluded at InnoTrans 2018, together with Ingeteam.

IPE Locomotori 2000 is located in an industrial zone near the village of Pradelle di Nogarole Rocca, about 30 km southwest of Verona, founded in 1972, with a focus on maintenance and refurbishment of locomotives for shunting operations. The development of the activity led to the acquisition of a second production facility in 2015 next to the original one. Two years ago, a change in minority ownership took place and thus the entry of new investors, which has given the company new impetus and made it more open to new ideas. As a result, it is now participating in this project, which is run under the newly established brand IPE Railway Vehicles (IPE//RV), which will be IPE’s branding for new-build production of next generation railway vehicles.

The e6 locomotive is 11,070 mm long over buffers, 4,300 mm high (including pantograph lowered) and 3,120 mm wide. Top speed is 50 km/h (and 100 km/h when in tow), weight 67.5 t, starting tractive effort 218 kN, smallest radius of negotiated curve 50 m. The weight of the locomotive will be uniform, which will be achieved by ballasting if necessary. The batteries can be nickel-manganese-cobalt (NMC) or LiFePO4 (lithium iron phosphate), arranged in 6, 9 or 12 battery packs. The locomotive exhibited was equipped with twelve NMC battery packs, each with 60 Ah and 876 V (and 529 kg), and therefore a capacity of about 53 kWh and a total of 636 kW. Presented parameters indicate a maximum capacity of 936 kWh, which is the highest-capacity in case of LiFePO4 battery pack, but Nexrail subsequently clarified to Railvolution, that at the moment they are rather looking at the NMC batteries. However, the design allows for interchangeability of battery packs, so that later replacement is possible.

The power is uniformly set at 750 kW (three traction motors from Traktionssysteme Austria 250 kW each), which makes the e6 the most powerful three-axle locomotive of today, albeit only just above the G 6 locomotives, whose performance (according to the engined used) ranges from 652 to 708 kW. The manufacturer of the power converter / traction control system cubicle is the Indian company Medha Servo Drives. For recharging the traction batteries, the locomotive is fitted with a pantograph of 750 V nominal voltage and equipped with a fast charging system that allows a full charge in less than an hour for all versions of the total battery capacity. Charging is also possible via a cable from an external source and, in operation, by regenerative braking.

The driver's desk is universally applicable for countries with both left-hand and right-hand control. On the vertical surface, from left to right, are the displays for the vehicle’s control system, the signalling system and the automatic coupling (where it shall be possible to visualize the external camera or through the DAC all information transmitted from the wagons). The space under the console is designed to accommodate onboard signaling system for different applications like PZB90, TBL1+ or ETCS Level 1/2 depending on customer requirements. The solution for installing and integrating the ATPs was supplied by the Belgian company The Signalling Company (in which the Škoda Group holds a 93.9% stake as of February 2023).

The project started to be transformed from drawing to reality around January 2024 and, after Innotrans, the locomotive has still to be completed. Some changes are still envisaged for further progress and final design. The stakeholders believe in the future of this concept, which means significantly lower operating costs (energy, maintenance, spare parts) compared to the internal combustion engine. For most mision profiles, this means that the operating costs offset the higher lease price, which is rumoured to be below 30,000 EUR per month. The aim is to produce 50 locomotives per year.

At the moment, the plan is to achieve simplified approval for on-site shunting duties in Germany and Italy in the summer of 2025. During the InnoTrans, the unveiling of the locomotive also included the unveiling of the first customer, which is the German operator Havelländische Eisenbahn (HVLE). Full network homologation is planned for 2027 in Germany. Belgium should be next in line, while Nexrail's promotional material also lists Italy, the Netherlands, Luxembourg, France, Austria and Switzerland as prospective approvals. Also other countries like Czech Republic and Slovakia could be possible by the integration of ETCS.

Nexrail are IPE//RV are confident in this platform technology and are already planning for an e6 version with pantograph, a larger e8 (four-axle) sister locomotive and there is even an idea of an universal EX type series for different solutions from two to six-axle locomotives.