Using a letter of intent, Bundesbahn ordered 82 power cars in September 1987 and 482 intermediate car in July 1988 (according to a different source, 492 intermediate cars). The Federal Ministry of Transport approved of the order in July 1988. The contracts were officially awarded to the consortiums on 20 January (power cars) and 20 February 1989 (intermediate cars). Delivery of the first power car was planned for August 1989, the first intermediate car was to be delivered in April 1990, and testing of the trains was to start in spring of 1990.