Money-saving Lithium-Ion battery

The new Lithium-Ion battery enables smaller diesel engines to be fitted to trains by embracing hybrid technology. This means that a locomotive's high-performance engines are only required when coupling the carriages but once the train is in motion just a small portion of power is needed. When it was fitted to a DE60C hybrid train built by locomotive specialist Gmeinder of Mosbach in Germany, the new battery enabled fuel savings of around 40 per cent to be achieved and helped to reduce CO₂ pollution.

Charged by the train's on-board diesel generator, the Hoppecke battery supplies its stored energy to drive the locomotive and is capable of achieving 850kW peak power (in normal operation 600kW) and delivering this to the train's drive system. The set-up is based around Hoppecke's high-voltage (HV) lithium modules which means it is possible to expand in a modular way to deliver higher performance as required.

The Lithium-Ion battery has a nominal voltage of 666V and a capacity of 138Ah which gives 92kWh of stored energy. It was designed to meet the exacting European Standard (EN50155) for electronic equipment used on railway rolling stock, with special attention given to the safety aspects, including enhanced protection against fire and explosion.

Since Hoppecke's rail Lithium-Ion battery is also designed for use inside factories and tunnels, a special fire-proof housing with combustion gas purification has been developed in case of battery fire to ensure maximum safety.