The locomotive batch was originally commissioned by PKP in 1996 and the units were assembled in Poland at WrocławBombardier Transportation Polska's plant, with the designation of EU 11. After a short operational stint of 8 locomotives on the Warsaw-Berlin line, they were later switched to Italy's Ferrovie dello Stato (FS), which later rechristened them as E.405 in May 2003.
They are a development of the similar E.412, which are however designed for international goods transport and have polycurrent motor equipment (E.405 can operate only on 3000 V direct current lines). They have a maximum speed of 200 km/h (120 mph) with trains up to 600 t (590 long tons; 660 short tons), although in Italy they can be used only up to 160 km/h (99 mph) (140 km/h or 87 mph for goods trains). Thanks to their relatively large initial tractive effort (250 kN or 56,000 lbf), they can haul both heavy goods and fast passenger trains.
They are mainly in service on the Brenner Line for goods transport.
