With electrification of the first Danish railway stretch in March 1986, DSB started to experience the need for an electric locomotive that could be used in passenger traffic as well as on freight trains.

[3] The customisation included a re-designed body (adapted to DSB's new locomotive design first used on the Class ME), and adaption to the Danish overhead wire voltage (25 kV 50 Hz, as opposed to the 15 kV 16+2⁄3 Hz voltage used in Germany and other Scandinavian countries).

The locomotives were manufactured by a consortium of companies led by BBC, ABB Scandia, Siemens, Henschel, Thyssen-Henschel and EB Strømmen.

[5] The bodies of the first two locomotives were manufactured by Henschel in Germany, the remaining units by ABB Scandia.

The EA run had four departures two in the morning and two in the afternoon between Østerport – København H (Copenhagen C) – Ringsted.