In collaboration with Carnegie Mellon University, Wabtec – a freight train manufactured in Pittsburgh, PA, announced their heavy haul battery-electric locomotive – FLXdrive – powered by 18,000 lithium-ion battery cells, and more powerful than 100 Tesla cars.

Wabtec claims that when the battery-powered electric powertrain is paired with a traditional diesel engine it will reduce fuel consumption by over 11%, subsequently reducing carbon emissions by 11% – the equivalent of removing over 6,200 gallons of diesel fuel and offsetting almost 70 tons of carbon emissions.

FLXdrive completed its trial run in California earlier this year, traveling 13,000 miles (20,920 km) between Barstow and Stockton over the course of three months. The 430,000-lb (195,044-kg) train powered by its 18,000 lithium-ion battery cells can produce up to 4,400 hp and has an energy capacity of 2.4-megawatt-hours, and it can be recharged via regenerative braking, as well as wayside charging (similar to an EV).