Global mining company Vale and Wabtec Corporation have finalized a purchase agreement for 50 new Evolution Series locomotives, according to Wabtec, which will produce the units at its Contagem, Brazil plant.
Part of Vale’s fleet renewal and decarbonization plan, the order includes the addition of 36 Wabtec EVOBBW units for its Vitória a Minas Railroad (EFVM) and 14 Wabtec ES58ACi units for its Carajás Railroad (EFC), both in Brazil, reported Wabtec on March 27. Deliveries are expected to begin next year.
These locomotives will be able to operate with a higher blend of biodiesel, which will lower greenhouse gas emissions, according to Wabtec. Vale and Wabtec, it added, plan to conduct tests to assess the possibility of increasing the biodiesel percentage in the future.
Evolution Series locomotives, whose AC traction motors are said to improve hauling capacity by more than 50%, are already in operation on EFC; this model is new to the EFVM fleet. In 2024, Vale signed a 10-year master service agreement valued at approximately $340 million (R$1.8 billion) with Wabtec “to increase the efficiency and operations” of the Evolution Series fleet on EFC. That agreement followed Wabtec and Vale’s 2023 announcement that Wabtec would supply three FLXdrive battery locomotives to Vale for use on EFC and that the two companies would test ammonia as an alternative fuel to replace diesel.
“Vale has chosen locomotives that have consolidated performance in the market and are aligned with the company’s focus on sustainability, efficiency and safety,” said Carlos Medeiros, Vice President of Operations at Vale, which is headquartered in Brazil and has approximately 1,243 miles (2,000 kilometers) of railways, as well as maritime terminals and 10 ports worldwide. “The renewal and modernization plan for the EFVM and EFC fleet is premised on contributing to the future of decarbonization in the rail sector.”
“We are proud to support Vale and our customers with advanced technologies that reduce CO2 emissions and promote operational efficiency,” commented Danilo Miyasato, Wabtec LATAM President and Regional Leader. “Wabtec is at the forefront of innovation and committed to decarbonization and greater efficiency in the rail sector. We are investing in innovative and sustainable technologies and in the development of engines that use alternative fuels, for a future of zero-emission rail transport.”
