Siemens Mobility is investing around 35 million euros in a production facility for train battery systems in Luhe-Wildenau in Bavaria. Series production is scheduled to begin in October 2027. Siemens plans to produce entire battery systems at the site, including a specially developed battery management system. The battery cells will come from external manufacturers such as Toshiba, while Siemens will handle system integration itself.
High cooling and safety requirements
Compared to the automotive sector, the technical requirements for batteries in trains are particularly high: They must be significantly more robust and have a longer service life. Typical capacities are around 500 kilowatt-hours for regional trains and up to 2,000 kilowatt-hours for locomotives. Such dimensions also entail high demands on cooling and safety, as well as rising costs.
Mainly used in regional transport
Battery-powered trains are mainly used in regional transport, where they can cover short to medium distances without overhead lines. Siemens is also working on battery-electric locomotives for freight transport, which require particularly high energy density. The systems are also intended to be suitable for hybrid concepts – for example, in combination with overhead lines or hydrogen fuel cells, which could further expand the range of applications.
Annual capacity of 120 megawatt-hours
Siemens expects to produce up to 120 megawatt-hours of annual battery capacity at its Luhe-Wildenau site. In the long term, falling battery costs, technological advances in energy management, and the further development of cell chemistries could improve economic efficiency and range.
