SWEDEN: Railcare has unveiled a battery-powered multi-purpose vehicle for railway maintenance work, which, as well as eliminating emissions at the point of use, also offers operators reduced noise levels.
The MPV is intended to complement the company’s vacuum excavator and snow melter, and can haul wagons within work sites.
The electric driveline technology was supplied by mining and infrastructure machinery specialist Epiroc, while the batteries from Northvolt have a total capacity equivalent to 30 electric cars.
Railcare said there are no other battery-powered railway maintenance machines of a similar size. ‘I am proud that we are the first to produce a maintenance vehicle for the railway that is emission-free and with the same high performance as our other machines’, said Railcare CEO Daniel Öholm on October 5. ‘Our customers around the world have a huge demand for this type of solution. Especially in city centres, tunnels and mines where exhaust fumes and noise levels are a big environmental problem.’
The MPV was officially unveiled at Railcare’s head office in Skelleftehamn by Minister of Infrastructure Tomas Eneroth, Minister of Employment Eva Nordmark, and Västerbotten Governor Helene Hellmark Knutsson.
Railcare expects to begin using the prototype in Sweden in spring 2021, and the design will be offered for export worldwide.
