11. December 2025, 10:14 o'Clock
Article: ECCI sets new standards in car loading: planning tool increases flexibility and efficiency in the automotive business
Digital system enables more precise calculations, rapid response to customer requirements and more economical resource plan.
DB Cargo Logistics relies on ECCI – Economic Car Calculator International, a digital planning tool for car loading. The aim is to achieve higher utilisation of car carrier wagons, shorter planning times and greater transparency. ECCI creates standardised, fast and reliable loading plans, thereby supporting both operational planning and customer communication. In this way, the tool increases the cost-effectiveness of automotive transport.
Almost like Tetris: Dr Florian Winter shows the web-based tool that allows each car to be placed precisely until the freight wagon is optimally filled.
ECCI visualises the cross-section of a car carrier wagon and checks in real time which car models can be loaded on which level. Loading dimensions that exceed the limits are automatically displayed, and the system directly suggests possible adjustments. This allows different scenarios to be quickly evaluated and significantly reduces the planning effort.
The ideal case: ten instead of nine cars per vehicle.
With the improved planning logic, an additional vehicle can be accommodated per wagon, if the vehicle mix allows. This increases resource efficiency and improves the cost-effectiveness of transport. Furthermore, ECCI enables DB Cargo Logistics to respond much more quickly and flexibly to customer requirements, thus creating real added value for automotive logistics.
"With the new tool, we can determine economical and flexible loading scenarios with just a few clicks. A real plus point for transporting cars by environmentally friendly rail."
From Excel to a web-based platform
ECCI replaces an Excel-based calculation tool that has been used internally for many years. The new system is web-based, intuitive to use and can be used simultaneously by different departments.
"We didn't want another planning tool, but a significant step forward in the entire process."
As a trained wagon inspector, Hermann Wulf contributes practical expertise to the project alongside other colleagues.
The planning tool is based on data from over 400 car models. Since many manufacturers do not provide exact transport dimensions, the vehicles were measured on site across Europe – and now form the basis for reliable, standardised loading plans.
The DB Cargo Logistics team not only records dimensions, but also relevant vehicle details such as antenna, mirrors, ground clearance and weight. This precision ensures that ECCI delivers valid calculations and offers both maximum safety and efficiency.
On the road for the perfect match: Wulf and his colleagues are travelling all over Europe - like here in Slovakia - to collect car data.
Standardised calculations enable validated loading plans in real time.
ECCI creates loading plans within minutes. The system automatically checks minimum distances, safety requirements and the compatibility of different vehicle types. Especially for large or unusual vehicles, the tool ideally enables BZA-free transport, eliminating time-consuming approval processes.
Benefits for customers and planning teams
ECCI increases efficiency and safety in car loading:
- Faster response to customer enquiries and tender
- Higher vehicle utilisation
- Standardised, reproducible calculation results
The tool strengthens DB Cargo Logistics' role as a reliable partner to the automotive industry and offers automotive customers a real advantage in terms of flexibility and planning reliability.
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