KIEPE ELECTRIC GMBH

Their core work

Kiepe Electric GmbH is a Düsseldorf-based industrial company specializing in electrical traction systems and power electronics for rail and public transport vehicles. Their engineering work covers the full drive chain — from traction converters and propulsion systems to auxiliary power supply and vehicle electrification. In H2020, they contributed as an industrial partner bringing real-world traction hardware and system integration expertise into large European rail research consortia. Their practical knowledge spans both urban transit electrification and high-speed mainline train propulsion, positioning them as a technology supplier bridging research results and deployable rail products.

What they specialise in

How they've shifted over time

In the 2015–2018 period, Kiepe Electric's H2020 activity centred on city-level public transport electrification — a system-integration topic where their traction hardware was one component of a broader urban mobility solution. By 2020–2023, the focus had moved decisively toward advanced traction technology development: specifically SiC-based converters, independently driven axle motors for high-speed trains, and reliability and maintenance analytics. This shift tracks a wider industry transition from deploying conventional IGBT traction systems to developing the next-generation SiC architecture that promises lighter, more efficient converters. The trajectory suggests a company moving up the technology readiness curve from field deployment toward research-driven product development.

Kiepe Electric is moving deeper into advanced power semiconductor (SiC) traction development and high-speed train propulsion, making them a strong industrial partner for any Horizon Europe project targeting next-generation rail drive systems or zero-emission high-speed corridors.

How they like to work

Kiepe Electric has never led an H2020 project — they enter consortia as a participant or third party, contributing industrial expertise rather than driving the research agenda. Despite only two projects, they have engaged with 49 unique partners across 10 countries, which is a high network density that points to membership in large, multi-partner rail technology consortia (likely Shift2Rail/Europe's Rail joint undertaking structures). This profile — experienced industrial partner, wide network, follower not leader — suggests they are accessible collaborators who bring testable hardware and practical deployment knowledge to research teams that need industrial grounding.

With 49 unique consortium partners across 10 countries from just two projects, Kiepe Electric has a broad and diverse European network concentrated in the rail sector. Their collaboration footprint is disproportionately large relative to their project count, indicating participation in flagship multi-partner rail programmes rather than small bilateral research efforts.

What sets them apart

Kiepe Electric sits in a rare industrial niche: a dedicated electrical systems specialist for rail vehicles that is large enough to contribute to major European research programmes yet focused enough to bring deep traction engineering expertise rather than general consultancy. Unlike universities or research institutes that study traction systems, Kiepe designs and builds them — which means their involvement in a consortium brings real product development constraints, testing infrastructure, and a path to market. For a project needing to move from prototype to demonstrator on train, having Kiepe as a partner substantially de-risks the industrial validation stage.

Highlights from their portfolio

• PINTA3
  This Shift2Rail Phase 3 project placed Kiepe at the frontier of SiC traction development and high-speed independent drive motors — the most technically advanced work in their H2020 portfolio, and a direct signal of their R&D trajectory.
• ELIPTIC
  Their only directly funded H2020 project (EUR 139,062), focused on city-level public transport electrification — demonstrating early engagement with urban zero-emission mobility before the topic became mainstream policy.