Environmentally friendly locomotives for the RCH

CRRC ZELC, subsidiary of the world’s largest rail vehicle manufacturer, took on the development of emissions-free e-hybrid shunting and high-performance locomotives for the freight transport industry in accordance with parameters prescribed by Rail Cargo Hungaria. Two vehicles of each kind will be manufactured and the relevant Hungarian and international licenses will be purchased in the space of 36 months. The development costs will be handled by the Chinese contract partner and leased out to the RCH for four years.

Climate protection on the railways

The new generation of multi-system locomotives is indispensable for sustainable rail freight transport thanks to its cost-effective, energy-efficient and environmentally friendly mechanical equipment. In the future, a Hungarian test track for checking vehicles will provide the opportunity to intensify economic cooperation between Hungary and China. RCH will deploy the shunting locomotives in Hungary and the high-performance locomotives in Croatia, Serbia, Romania, Macedonia, Greece and Bulgaria. The “super last mile battery pack” installed in the locomotives enables transport even on lines where no overhead wires exist. In these cases, the locomotives are powered by accumulators, which are required, among other things, for most feeder lines.

Rail Cargo Group’s own traction area

On this occasion, Dr. Imre Kovács, CEO of Rail Cargo Hungaria, emphasised that with this agreement, the RCH is taking a ground-breaking step for the sustainable future of European rail freight transport. He then added: “For the RCH, innovation and environmental awareness are mutually beneficial and motivational factors. With its transport capacity, the company replaces the traffic of tens of thousands of lorries every year and thus relieves the environment of about half a million tonnes of greenhouse gases.”