AMT, a specialist in rail‑based construction equipment, introduced a battery‑electric rail excavator that can keep working while its power source is swapped out on the fly. The machine is built on a standard rail‑excavator chassis but replaces the diesel engine with a 500 kW electric drive fed by two modular lithium‑ion packs, each rated at 300 kWh.

The key innovation is the “hot‑swap” system: the packs are mounted on a rail‑compatible pallet that slides into a dedicated exchange bay. In a controlled test, a full‑capacity pack was removed and a fresh one installed in 4 minutes 30 seconds, a time comparable to a diesel refuel stop. The excavator can therefore operate continuously for up to 12 hours before a swap is required, dramatically reducing emissions on rail‑maintenance corridors and eliminating the need for on‑site diesel fuel storage.

AMT says the design cuts operating costs by roughly 30 % versus a comparable diesel unit, thanks to lower energy prices and reduced maintenance on the electric drivetrain. The battery packs are equipped with an advanced thermal‑management system that keeps cell temperatures between 20 °C and 35 °C, extending cycle life to an estimated 2 500 full cycles (about 10 years of service).

The hot‑swap concept also addresses a common hurdle for heavy‑equipment electrification: downtime for charging. By locating exchange bays at strategic points along the rail network, operators can keep a fleet of excavators running with a minimal fleet of spare packs. AMT plans to roll out the first production units to European rail operators in early 2027, with a target of 200 machines in service by 2029.

If the system proves reliable, it could become a template for other rail‑bound heavy equipment, such as ballast regulators and rail‑laying machines, accelerating the shift away from diesel in the rail‑infrastructure sector.

Electrek