The Class E 50 is an electric heavy freight locomotive built for German Federal Railways between 1957 and 1973.

It belongs to the Einheits-Elektrolokomotiven (standardised electric locomotives) program and was built as a heavy freight mover to be used on the increasingly electrified main lines of the DB, where they were set to replace the steam traction.

To date, the Class 150's starting tractive effort of 450 kN (100,000 lbf) remains unparalleled on German rails.

In fact, it was very close to the breaking force of the buffers and chain couplers used at the time of its production.

Some engines were therefore fitted with automatic coupling (type unicupler AK69e) to haul heavy ore-trains.