Union Pacific has received two of four Wabtec FLXdrive battery-electric locomotives and will start testing in the greater Los Angeles area, with two more units due in October. Each locomotive uses about 7,000 battery cells to store roughly 2.7 MWh of energy and operates with zero tailpipe emissions. The four-unit test replaces an originally planned 20-unit order after the railroad cited industrywide challenges sourcing high-capacity batteries. The trials aim to gather real-world data to refine and scale battery-electric freight technology.
Union Pacific Begins California Trials of Wabtec FLXdrive Battery-Electric Locomotives
Union Pacific has received the first two of its Wabtec FLXdrive battery-electric locomotives for testing in Southern California. UP
LOS ANGELES — Union Pacific has taken delivery of the first two of four Wabtec FLXdrive battery-electric locomotives and will begin operational testing across the greater Los Angeles area, the railroad said. Two additional units are scheduled to arrive in October.
What Arrived
The locomotives use roughly 7,000 individual battery cells to provide about 2.7 megawatt-hours (MWh) of energy storage per unit and produce zero tailpipe emissions. They will be evaluated in yard operations and on local service runs to gauge performance in everyday railroad conditions.
Why It Matters
"Union Pacific has never been content to stand still," UP CEO Jim Vena said in a press release. "Our industry is constantly evolving, and if we're not exploring what's next, we risk being left behind. Testing technologies like battery-electric locomotives help us to better understand what's possible by putting these emerging technologies to work in actual railroad operations."
Wabtec called the deliveries a milestone for freight rail decarbonization. "This milestone reflects Wabtec's shared commitment with Union Pacific to advancing the future of freight rail," CEO Rafael Santana said. "By deploying FLXdrive in daily operations, we're building real-world insights needed to refine and scale battery-electric technology, delivering best-in-class value for our customers."
Background on the Order
The four-unit test fleet is a scaled-back outcome from an originally announced 20-unit order that involved both Wabtec and Progress Rail, with initial delivery plans through 2025. Union Pacific later canceled the Progress Rail portion and reduced the Wabtec order. In its 2023 environmental, social, and governance report, UP noted that procuring the high-capacity batteries (cited in the report as approximately 2.4 MWh) needed for battery-electric locomotives has proven more difficult than expected across the industry, prompting the adjustment to a four-unit demonstration.
What Comes Next
Over the coming weeks and months, Union Pacific and Wabtec will collect operational data on battery performance, charging and maintenance needs, range in mixed service, and overall economics. The tests are intended to provide real-world evidence to guide future deployments and to refine battery-electric locomotive designs for broader use.
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