Battery-powered autonomous wagons to be deployed in Michigan

Intramotev secures funding for the first commercial use of its TugVolt concept for autonomous battery-powered wagons

The Michigan Department of Mobility and Electrification has allocated a grant of $200,000 for the deployment of the project at a mining site in the Upper Peninsula of the state by the end of 2023, reports Railway Supply, citing Intramotev.

“Using the most advanced battery-electric technologies and other patented tools, we aim to apply our technologies in freight logistics,” said Timothy Lucchini, Co-founder and CEO of Intramotev on May 11.

The company is developing autonomous vehicles that, as it envisions, can be used to transport regular wagons with automatic or remotely controlled maneuvers upon arrival.

It is expected that the initial wagons will appear on internal routes between mines and processing facilities, as well as on industrial sites and ports. The company then hopes to see their deployment on main railway networks.

“We envision a future where cargoes can move on their own, without waiting for a locomotive, which will make the system more efficient and environmentally friendly,” said Lucchini.

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