Locomotive Market - Forecasts from 2024 to 2029

The locomotive market is projected to grow at a CAGR of 8.80%, from US$15.454 billion in 2022 to US$27.892 billion in 2029 during the forecast period.

The locomotive better known as the railway engine helps to pull the other coaches that are lined behind it by providing power using the electric or diesel locomotive engine. The locomotives are an important part of the whole railway system as they provide power to the whole passenger or freight railways that are used for transporting goods or passengers.

These locomotives or railway engines are specially designed with high power to pull a large number of coaches with heavy loads of goods across long-range travels. These locomotives have different applications across different use cases such as they are used in industrial applications such as mining. They are also used for carrying passengers and transporting goods for e-commerce across long-range distances with cost-effective and safe travel.

LOCOMOTIVE MARKET INTRODUCTION:

The locomotive market is driven by the growing developments in locomotive technology over the years which has increased the fuel efficiency and comfort for passengers of the locomotives. The growth in the technological developments in locomotives has led several governments across the globe to adopt effective locomotive solutions like electric locomotives that provide more fuel efficiency and less emissions. For instance, the Indian railway sector aims to electrify the entire railway network by 2023, which will contribute to annual energy savings of $1.55 billion.

The growth in economies across different regions is contributing to the development and expansion of effective railway tracks that can run electric trains on them. The growing need for metro and inter-city fast locomotive solutions for traveling during business hours when roads are heavily congested and people arrive late for their work are the factors driving the demand for effective locomotive solutions in the market.

LOCOMOTIVE MARKET DRIVERS:

• Growth in the demand for autonomous locomotives worldwide is predicted to propel the market.

The demand for autonomous trains that can gather real-time data and provide useful insights such as location, obstacles, fuel capacity, and other data to better manage the locomotives across the railway network. This has made the operation of railways much smoother and more effective by analyzing real-time data of locomotives and avoiding any accidents or delays of transportation through railways or locomotives. Hence, the growth in demand for autonomous locomotives is expected to contribute to growth in the locomotive market over the forecast period.

• The growing urbanization across the globe is projected to drive the locomotive market.

The growing urbanization across different countries with growing economies and GDPs is investing heavily in developing efficient and high-quality railway networks across different regions with long-range distances. The need for goods transport with growing economies, coupled with growth in e-commerce, is driving the demand for fast and cost-effective railway transport services. This is driving the demand for effective locomotive solutions from major manufacturers. These factors are anticipated to propel growth in the locomotive market.

LOCOMOTIVE MARKET RESTRAINT:

• High manufacturing and maintenance costs of locomotives can hinder market growth

The locomotive market, despite having an important role in improving the public transport service for the general public or goods transport across different cities and long-range distances while providing cost-effective and safe travel for passengers, can lead to various challenges faced by the manufacturers of these locomotives that may impact the locomotives market negatively over the forecast period. For instance, the high-cost requirement for the development of electric locomotives when compared to diesel locomotives with their high-tech electric components. In metropolitan cities, the need for electric locomotives is increasing due to growing environmental concerns and the budget constraints in development of them can hinder the locomotive market.

The high-cost requirements for regular maintenance and safety checkups of the electric and diesel locomotives for the smooth and safe functioning of them can be a hindrance to market growth. The need for an already existing railway network to be electrified with the rising popularity of electric rails due to rising environmental concerns can be challenging for the locomotive industry. The changes in regulatory compliances, which need new infrastructure, and changes in locomotive engine specifications to reduce emissions can be the factors that can affect the locomotive market negatively over the forecast period.

LOCOMOTIVE MARKET - GEOGRAPHICAL OUTLOOK

• The growth is projected to be prominent in the Asia Pacific region.

The Asia Pacific region is expected to show major growth in the locomotive market due to the rapid growth in the need for efficient rail solutions in developing countries in the region with growing industrialization and urbanization in several countries across the Asia Pacific region. The government across the region is making heavy investments to expand the railway infrastructure in the region with growth in its applications, which is making different railway manufacturers develop energy-efficient and cost-effective locomotive solutions.

The growth in population in countries like China and India is leading to a growth in the need for metro railways in busy metropolitan cities like Tokyo, Japan, where bullet trains and subway travel are very common in the day-to-day life of individuals during business hours. Also, the presence of key railway manufacturers that develop effective locomotives, like Hitachi Rail from Japan, is contributing to the significant growth of the locomotive market in the Asia Pacific region.

Locomotive Market Players and Products:

• Wabtec Corporation: The battery-electric technology locomotive named FLXdrive can provide high battery capacities for different locomotive or rail applications. This model FLXdrive is the first in the whole world that is 100% pure battery-electric coupled with a heavy-haul locomotive. This FLXdrive model has high operational flexibility and provides the same functionality as its diesel version. This is designed specially to replace the diesel locomotives.
• SAN Engineering and Locomotive Co. Ltd.: The diesel-electric locomotives are the new locomotives introduced after the diesel locomotives. These diesel-electric locomotives have new standards in terms of engineering of the locomotive coupled with long-term investment and high quality. These diesel-electric locomotives are applicable in several use cases, such as refineries, steel industries, and power generation units. They are specifically designed for industrial use and have robust construction to face harsh conditions in the industries.

Locomotive market industry updates:

• In October 2023, Wabtec corporation, with their launch partner or customer Roy Hill, which is one of the major iron ore mining companies from Australia and is owned by a private company named Hancock Prospecting, has together launched their new locomotive FLXdrive. This locomotive is 100% battery-powered. According to Wabtec corporation, this is one of the major steps that has been taken in the journey towards a low to zero-emission future of the locomotive industry.
• In September 2022, Sierra Northern Railway, or SERA, introduced the concept and look of their all-new industry-leading locomotive, which is a hydrogen-powered switching locomotive with zero emissions in the environment. The CEC, or California Energy Commission, awarded them $4,000,000 to provide the demonstration by integrating and designing the hydrogen fuel cell locomotive.

Segmentation:

By Type

• Diesel
• Electric
• Others

By Technology

• IGBT Module
• GTO Thyristor
• SiC Module

By Component

• Rectifier
• Inverter
• Traction Motor
• Alternator
• Others

By Geography

• North America
• United States
• Canada
• Mexico
• South America
• Brazil
• Argentina
• Others
• Europe
• United Kingdom
• Germany
• France
• Italy
• Spain
• Others
• Middle East and Africa
• Saudi Arabia
• UAE
• Others
• Asia Pacific
• Japan
• China
• India
• South Korea
• Taiwan
• Thailand
• Indonesia
• Others