Both bogies are powered by four forced-air cooled traction motors each. Each motor has a continuous power rating of 1,250 kW, the UIC power rating of the vehicle is 4,800 kW, and the largest starting tractive effort 200 kN. The drive system uses asynchronous three-phase AC motors pioneered in the Henschel-BBC DE 2500 locomotives as well as the InterCityExperimental. These motors are fitted between bogies and frame using pneumatics that are electronically adjusted depending on the current speed ("Umschaltbare Antriebsmasse UmAn," i.e., "switchable drive mass"). The power cars are directly derived from the Class 120 locomotives.