As global supply chains push toward decarbonization, freight rail has emerged as a critical but complex frontier. It is both a lower-emission alternative to trucking and one of the largest remaining consumers of diesel fuel in logistics infrastructure.
Voltify is targeting that contradiction directly.
The company has raised $30 million in seed funding to deploy a distributed energy platform designed to transform how rail systems are powered. The round was co-led by Aleph and Fortescue, with participation from additional investors and angels.
Founded by Dafna Langer and Alon Kessel, Voltify is building what it describes as an integrated rail energy ecosystem spanning generation, storage, and consumption.
Diesel, Cost, and the Limits of Traditional Electrification
Freight rail operators in the United States spend approximately $11 billion annually on diesel fuel. While electrification offers a path to lower emissions, the infrastructure required, estimated at over $1 trillion, has historically prevented widespread adoption.
Voltify’s model is designed to bypass that constraint entirely.
Instead of fixed infrastructure, it introduces a distributed system that can reduce energy costs by more than 20% without operational disruption or capital-intensive upgrades.
“We built Voltify to solve one of the rail industry’s biggest challenges: energy costs,” said Langer, Co-founder and CEO of Voltify. “Our platform allows rail companies to access clean, affordable energy without changing the way they operate. If you can reduce energy costs by even 5%, it’s huge. If you can reduce them by more than 20%, it becomes transformative.”
A Distributed Grid for Moving Assets
Voltify’s system is built on three integrated layers: battery-powered locomotives, dynamic charging technology, and renewable microgrids positioned along rail corridors.
Together, these components form a mobile energy architecture that supports continuous freight movement while replacing diesel consumption with renewable energy.
“Importantly, the company’s model removes the so-called “green premium. Our goal is to lower energy costs by over 20%; this is not just the diesel costs, but all the next energy that the industry needs,” Langer said. “Rail companies shouldn’t have to choose between sustainability and economics. We’re making clean energy the financially smarter option.”
Strategic Alignment Across Energy and Mining
“Voltify is redefining the energy supply chain for global rail networks”, said Tomer Diari, General Partner at Aleph. “Their electricity-based solution will help rail operators dramatically reduce costs, pollution, and dependency on diesel, and make transporting goods in the US cheaper and more reliable for everyone.”
Fortescue emphasized its investment thesis around industrial decarbonization.
“Fortescue is committed to investing in the research and development of innovative technologies to drive Real Zero and accelerate decarbonisation across our operations and beyond. Voltify’s mission to eliminate emissions in the heavy rail industry aligns with ours at Fortescue, and we’re encouraged by the solutions they are working on,” said Gus Pichot, CEO Growth & Energy at Fortescue.
Early Deployment and Market Expansion
Voltify has signed a paid pilot with one of the world’s largest Class I rail operators, with deployment expected in the coming months. The company is also seeing early demand from regional rail operators across the United States.
Later this year, Voltify plans to demonstrate its full integrated platform, combining locomotive systems, charging infrastructure, and microgrid networks into a unified operational model.
The company’s broader ambition is to turn rail corridors into distributed energy systems, reshaping not only how freight moves, but how energy is produced and consumed across industrial networks.
