MAHLE to show battery cooling and compact thermal systems for rail at InnoTrans 2026
MAHLE will present thermal management systems for every rail drive type — diesel, battery, hybrid, electric and hydrogen — at InnoTrans 2026 in Berlin, with a battery cooling system for locomotives as the centrepiece.
- Hall 18, Stand 460
- Three continents
- Diesel, battery, hybrid, electric, hydrogen
What Happened
MAHLE will show thermal management systems for all rail drive technologies — diesel, battery, hybrid, electric and hydrogen — at InnoTrans 2026 in Berlin, which it describes as the world's largest international trade fair for railway and transport technology. The centrepiece of its stand is a battery thermal management system (BTMS) for locomotives, which keeps modern high-performance batteries in electric locomotives precisely temperature-controlled. MAHLE says that control is an essential factor for the batteries' performance, service life and safety even under demanding environmental conditions. The MAHLE stand is in Hall 18, Stand 460.
- Battery thermal management system (BTMS) for locomotives, providing precise temperature control of high-performance batteries in electric locomotives
- A compact combined cooling system for electric multiple units (EMUs) that cools several vehicle systems, including traction motors and transformers
- Fin/tube coolers and customized cooling plates for high-performance applications such as traction converters, a central element of power control for electric drives and battery systems of electric rail vehicles
MAHLE says the combined cooling system for electric multiple units combines the cooling of several vehicle systems in one compact unit. High energy efficiency, low weight and high reliability make it an economical and sustainable solution for rail operations, according to the company. The cooling plates and fin/tube coolers face particularly high demands, because reliable temperature control is essential for the performance, safety and service life of those applications. MAHLE positions itself as a global systems supplier for complex traction cooling systems on high-speed trains and as market leader in Europe.
“The transformation of rail transport presents manufacturers and operators with new demands for efficiency, range and reliability. With our thermal management solutions, we support this development and accompany our customers throughout the entire life cycle of their vehicles – from development to maintenance, modernization and servicing of existing fleets”
MAHLE says it is strategically advancing business outside the classic automotive industry and calls rail transport an essential growth area. With rail cooling plant manufacturing sites on three continents, the group says it is leveraging its global presence to scale industrial skills for markets beyond road mobility. MAHLE has recently consolidated its activities outside the automotive industry in the Industrial and Special Solutions division. Through close integration of sales, development and operational functions, the company says it accelerates the development of tailor-made solutions.
Threecontinents
MAHLE calls rail transport an essential growth area and says it is scaling industrial skills beyond road mobility.
Previously from MAHLE GmbH
MAHLE has been expanding its manufacturing of vehicle thermal-management components ahead of this rail push. In July 2026 the company began series production of battery cooling plates for electric vehicles at its Montblanc plant in Tarragona, following a double-digit million-euro investment, with capacity of up to 15,000 units per week.
Background drawn from MotorClaw's earlier coverage of MAHLE GmbH's official releases.
Why this matters
Rail operators and train builders moving to battery, hybrid and electric traction depend on keeping batteries and power electronics at the right temperature, which the source links directly to performance, service life and safety. MAHLE, which calls itself Europe's market leader in complex traction cooling systems, is pitching rail as an essential growth area beyond its classic automotive business.
Terms in This Story
- thermal management
- The systems and components that keep a vehicle's parts, such as batteries, motors and power electronics, within the correct temperature range.
- battery thermal management system (BTMS)
- A system that controls the temperature of a vehicle's high-voltage battery to protect its performance, service life and safety.
- electric multiple unit (EMU)
- A passenger train made up of self-propelled carriages that does not need a separate locomotive.
- traction converter
- Power electronics that control the flow of electrical energy between a train's power source or battery and its electric drive motors.
Summarised from the linked release; details can be imperfect — always verify against the original source.