Inforail.pl reports about the final outcome of the Polish Innotabor innovation program, set-up by the Polish National Centre for Research and Development. Thirteen projects will receive funding, two of them are about locomotive development:

Newag receives 12,5 million złoty (appr. 2,9 million euro) for the development of a 4-axle multi-system electric with additional diesel engine.

Pesa is working on a dual-mode locomotive, an AC/DC electric + diesel. For this project, 21,8 million złoty (appr. 5 milion euro) will be available.

On 06.10.2016, Pesa and PKP IC signed a memorandum of understanding for developing a dual mode locomotive (diesel and electric). The project is supported by the NCBiR (National Research and Development Centre) bringing 395.000 euro into the project. Pesa estimates to spend around 1.8 million euro on the project, that will take around 1.5-2 years to complete.

PKP IC is searching the market for new locomotives and is very much interested in innovative locomotive projects. It is an important, potential customer for Pesa's new dual mode.

One 4-axle prototype locomotive will be built, with 2.8MW power in electric mode and with a combustion engine of 1.8MW. Its maximum speed will be 160 kph.