Bertolotti, an Italian manufacturer, will exhibit the e² Formula battery-electric locomotive at InnoTrans, the company's debut appearance at the Berlin trade fair, according to an announcement carried by Rolling Stock World.

The e² Formula launch enters a maturing European market for battery traction. Suppliers have brought successive battery and hybrid locomotives to InnoTrans since 2016, addressing the diesel-replacement requirement on non-electrified routes, in shunting yards and on infrastructure work sites.

The segment now includes a small set of established products and a longer list of pilot units, with procurement decisions still shaped by limited operational data from real-world fleets and a small installed base of working machines.

What does the announcement actually say?

The Rolling Stock World item confirms three facts: Bertolotti's Italian origin, the product designation 'e² Formula' and its classification as a battery locomotive, and the InnoTrans debut. Bertolotti has not disclosed:

• Continuous and peak power ratings
• Tractive effort at wheel rim
• Battery chemistry, capacity and thermal management
• Charging interface, voltage and turnaround time
• Axle configuration, weight and length over buffers
• TSI compliance status and target operating corridors
• Customer commitments, order book, delivery schedule or pricing

That omission is consistent with a pre-launch reveal rather than a market-ready product. Operators evaluating the e² Formula at the Berlin stand will need the specification data before the unit can enter fleet planning. Trade-fair status requires the full specification file and a homologation filing at minimum.

Why does Bertolotti's debut matter?

The Italian supplier enters a competitive InnoTrans segment in which buyers compare candidates against three primary metrics: continuous tractive effort, on-board energy capacity and recharging time. Whole-life cost — covering energy tariffs, maintenance and track access — forms the financial frame.

Operators have so far deployed battery locomotives mainly in shunting, infrastructure and light-freight duties. Mainline heavy-haul applications remain constrained by energy density.

A new Italian entrant extends the geographic spread of the European supplier base. Italian regional operators, port and terminal shunting specialists, and infrastructure contractors gain a domestic option to evaluate. Domestic supply also reduces the logistical and after-sales footprint for Italian buyers, with parts, training and warranty support available within the national market.

Whether the e² Formula converts that proximity into commercial orders will depend on the technical data, homologation progress and reference sites Bertolotti has yet to publish.

What should operators look for at the stand?

Prospective buyers will apply the standard procurement diligence:

• Type-test programme aligned with EN 50126, EN 50128 and EN 50129
• Homologation filing with the European Union Agency for Railways
• Documented maintenance schedule and mean time between failures targets
• A verified reference site if a pilot unit has entered service
• A defined end-of-life strategy for the battery system

InnoTrans also gives competing suppliers a single venue to publish specification updates, producing a like-for-like comparison set for procurement teams.

What comes next?

Bertolotti's InnoTrans appearance will test whether the e² Formula translates from a brand reveal into a commercial product. The next concrete milestones would be publication of the specification sheet, evidence of a TSI homologation track, at least one operator commitment and confirmation of a serial-production site.

None of those items feature in the current announcement. Trade-press coverage of those milestones will determine whether the e² Formula joins the working fleets of European railways or remains a showcase exhibit. Publication of those data points before, during or immediately after the Berlin fair would convert the brand reveal into a credible procurement candidate for European operators.