The classes S 499.0 and S 499.1 are four-axle electric locomotives for the Czechoslovak 25 kV AC network. Like their predecessor S 489.0, they were built by Škoda as type 47E and had a body made of fiberglass, leading to the nickname “Laminatka”. Due to a modified gear ratio compared to the S 489.0, the S 499.0 reaches a top speed of 120 km/h and is suited for freight and passenger trains. In 1968 and 1969, a total of 120 was built at Plzeň.
In 1970, 25 more were built for express service which reached 140 km/h and were called S 499.1. After the two-system ES 499.0 was introduced, the S 499.1 were rebuilt to S 499.0 starting in 1978. In 1988, all became class 240. In 2001 and 2003, three were rebuilt as two-system locomotives which can also be used under 15 kV and 16.7 Hz. These are called class 340 and used on the line between České Budějovice and Linz in Austria.
