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Intramotev closed a $14 million Series A round for battery-powered autonomous railcars, the company tells Axios.

Why it matters: Rail has been an overlooked area for tech innovation, but electric and autonomous technologies could help the rail sector cut diesel use. 

How it works: Rail customers buy the railcars as a retrofit to existing trains, and also get the accompanying software, sensors and interfaces.

Intramotev sells an autonomous battery-electric railcar called the TugVolt, which can operate without a locomotive and driver. It also has an electric railcar that's meant to be connected to a locomotive, called ReVolt. 

Long trains can have multiple diesel-powered locomotives. By removing any of a train's diesel locomotives, a rail company can slash its diesel use, lowering its emissions. 

The big picture: Rail has been an overlooked sector for the latest technology, says Intramotev's CEO Tim Luchini.

Trains are already a lower-emission and lower-cost way to ship freight. But Luchini thinks the time is now ripe for these technologies to be used in rail as they've come down in costs.

Zoom in: St. Louis-based Intramotev said the round was led by Flybridge Capital Partners and Alpaca VC and included Advantage Capital, Cathcart Rail, Idealab and others.

Intramotev's first customers are in the mining sector and include mining firm Iron Senergy and Carmeuse Americas, which plans to deploy three of Intramotev's railcars at its mine in Cedarville, Michigan.

What's next: Intramotev plans to deploy its railcars beyond mining and says it is preparing to scale multiple new projects. 

Exclusive: Railcar startup Intramotev raises $14M

Rail has been an overlooked area for tech innovation.

An autonomous electric railcar called TugVolt made by startup Intramotev.

An autonomous electric railcar called TugVolt made by startup Intramotev. Photo courtesy of Intramotev.

Rail transport

Intramotev closed a $14 million Series A round for battery-powered autonomous railcars, the company tells Axios.Why it matters: Rail has been an overlooked area for tech innovation, but electric and autonomous technologies could help the rail sector cut diesel use.

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Exclusive: Railcar startup Intramotev raises $14M

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