Its 1000 kW power is somewhat low by current standards, but it is capable of multiple-unit operation with only one train crew and doublets and triplets are common.

[1] All the axles are interconnected with shafts and universal joints to the Voith L 216 rs hydraulic transmission.

The main engine is a Finnish-built Tampella SACM MGO V16 BSHR Diesel with two Brown Boveri-VTR 200 M turbochargers.

[7] The Sv1 was used to test three-phase alternating current electrical engines; the results were used when developing class Dr16.

The locomotive was painted yellow with black stripes, a colour scheme known from another short-lived prototype, the Dr15.