World's largest land-mobile batteries equipped electric locomotive

Fortescue, an Australian iron ore mining company, has introduced two battery-electric locomotives equipped with the world’s largest land-mobile batteries, built by Progress Rail, a Caterpillar company. These 8-axle locomotives each have a 14.5 MWh battery capacity and feature regenerative braking capable of recovering up to 60% of energy when descending. Designed to operate in Western Australia’s Pilbara region, they are expected to reduce diesel consumption by one million liters annually. The locomotives can be rapidly charged at 2.8 MW using electricity generated from Fortescue’s renewable energy facilities, aligning with the company’s goal to achieve zero emissions in its mining operations by the end of the decade. The delivery of these locomotives, initially planned for 2023, was completed in 2024, with units arriving at Port Hedland before deployment to mining sites. Fortescue’s CEO emphasized that these are operational assets demonstrating new possibilities for heavy-haul