Retrofitting electric railways for the future

The International Energy Agency (IEA) reports that rail is one of the most energy-efficient modes of transport, carrying eight per cent of the world’s passengers and seven per cent of global freight, while using only two per cent of total transport energy demand.

US-based freight technology company Intramotev wants to help further develop the world’s use of rail transport by retrofitting existing trains and networks. The company’s battery-electric self-propelled rail car, TugVolt, works like a truck, able to travel and stop in smaller spaces such as mining sites, ports, and manufacturing plant railyards.