Akiem takes first battery-electric Vectron for European lease
EUROPE: Locomotive lessor Akiem has ordered the first battery-electric variant of the Vectron platform, opening a battery-electric option for freight services on partially electrified corridors across Europe.
Siemens Mobility and Akiem have signed a framework agreement for 80 Vectron locomotives, with a firm order of 50 units, including the launch of the new Vectron Dual Mode Electric/Battery variant.
The new locomotive replaces the diesel engine of the existing Dual Mode with batteries, operating on both overhead-line and battery power, with a top speed of 160 km/h.
Into the leasing market from 2029
Akiem will make the variant available to freight operators across Europe, with first deliveries scheduled for 2029 and 2030.
The practical significance lies in Europe’s uneven electrification. Large parts of the continental freight network remain without overhead wire, forcing operators to either change traction or accept diesel for the full route. The battery variant could remove that need on routes with shorter non-electrified sections without a change of locomotive.
A platform shift, not just an order
The Vectron is the closest thing European freight has to a standard mainline locomotive, with multi-system approvals across a wide range of national networks. Introducing a battery-electric variant through the leasing market rather than a single operator order means the option becomes available to a broad set of users from day one of delivery.
For Akiem’s customers, the question will be whether battery range covers the non-electrified sections on their specific corridors. That detail has not yet been disclosed.
First deliveries are due in 2029 at the earliest, leaving three years before the variant enters commercial operation.