St. Louis, Mo.-based Intramotev, developer of the TugVolt autonomous battery-electric freight railcar, has entered into a commercial agreement with Rail Cargo Group, the freight subsidiary of Austrian Federal Railways (ÖBB).
The operation of TugVolt railcars in Austria marks Intramotev’s “first regulated use case and first international deployment,” the manufacturer reported April 27. ÖBB Rail Cargo Group, it noted, operates more than 1,000 freight trains per day across 18 countries, moving 78.7 billion net tons of cargo annually.
“This deployment is part of the SARI initiative, which is financially supported by Austria’s Rail4Climate program and backed by the R4C consortium,” Intramotev said. “The initiative is advancing the integration of highly automated freight wagons into existing rail networks for first- and last-mile operations.”
The agreement follows Intramotev’s commercial expansion in the United States. In February, the company began a deployment with Watco in Illinois after forging a commercial agreement last fall, and in March it announced an agreement with R. J. Corman to deploy TugVolt technology on the 113-mile Memphis Line in Kentucky, Railway Age’s 2021 Short Line of the Year.
TugVolt technology is in revenue service for Carmeuse Americas in Michigan’s Upper Peninsula (pictured above). Intramotev reported earlier this year that it moved more than 350,000 tons of material for Carmeuse Americas in 2025.
“Rail is the backbone of industrial economies on both sides of the Atlantic, and ÖBB Rail Cargo Group has long been one of its finest operators,” Intramotev CEO Tim Luchini said. “That they chose TugVolt is a distinction we don’t take lightly, and we couldn’t be more proud to bring American innovation to Europe’s railways.”
“Rail Cargo Group’s vision is to be the logistical backbone of the European economy,” said Christoph Grasl, a member of the board of ÖBB Rail Cargo Group. “Achieving that vision requires embracing the technologies that make rail smarter, more efficient, and more competitive. TugVolt is exactly that kind of technology. This partnership reflects our commitment to innovation and our belief that the future of freight belongs on the rails.”
Separately, Ray Betler, former Wabtec President and CEO, joined the Intramotev Board last month as an Independent Director, and rail industry veteran Harry Zander joined the company last spring as Chief Commercial Officer.
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