In the first planning phase of standard electric locomotives, the Reichsbahn still thought of models with large motors and rod drive, but at that time there were already different approaches for single-axle drives elsewhere. Thus, five prototypes were ordered for delivery in the years 1926-1928, among which this locomotive was. It was first designated E 18 01, but later renumbered E 15 01. Its sisters in the trials were the E 16 101, E 21 01, E 21 02 and E 21 51.

In the search for the optimal axle arrangement, the use of two bogies was tested in the E 18 01. These each consisted of a leading axle with 1,000 mm wheels and two powered axles with 1,400 mm wheels, with the leading axle being flexibly mounted within the bogie by means of a bissel truck. A coupling between the bogies was used to better distribute the forces. Instead of the originally planned higher arrangement of the traction motors with reduction gear and quill, one finally used nose-suspended motors with a simple reduction gear. Two fans were housed in the engine room to cool the motors, each of which directed the air to the two powered axles of a bogie. 

Test runs were conducted in Central Germany from late 1927, especially on the Magdeburg-Halle line. The locomotive impressed with its smooth running and was able to meet its specification to haul 600-tonne express trains on the flat at 95 km/h. From 1930 it was tested in heavy mountain use in Silesia, where it ran more than 10,000 km per month. After signs of wear on the chassis had first been observed in the lowlands, they now increased, which ultimately led to the E 18 not being mass-produced.

In the meantime production had started with the E 17 with the wheel arrangement 1-D-1 that was mainly based on the E 16, but the E 15 came back to Central Germany and continued to be used there. Since the new express locomotives of the 1930s were to be called E 18 as a reference to the class 18 Länderbahn steam locomotives, E 18 01 was renamed to E 15 01 in 1933. After the war it was sent to the Soviet Union as reparation, from where it returned to the GDR in 1952 together with many other locomotives. But due to its very poor condition it could no longer be used and was later scrapped.