In order to do something about the inefficient use of old steam locomotives in shunting service, the I e was designed for the Württemberg State Railway as a four-coupled tank locomotive. During development, however, attention was also paid to the fact that the engines could be used in line service on branch lines if required. They were designed as a cost-effective and purposeful construction. By using the 20 mm thick plate frame as a water tank, the coal bunker could be moved in front of the driver's cab, which reduced the overall length of the locomotive.
On the boiler barrel, the steam dome and the regulator were separate from each other, with a sandbox between them. The Allan valve gear had to be on the outside and the drive was on the second axle. With a driving wheel diameter of 1,235 mm, speeds of up to 60 km/h could be reached. In addition to a modern air brake, some of the machines also had a countersteam brake.
30 were delivered in several batches, of which 25 units were taken over by the Reichsbahn in 1925. Together with the I b taken over from the Pfalzbahn, they were classified in the class 8875. By 1930 all were retired or sold to private operators. One example was on Austrian territory after the end of the Second World War after it had been used by a construction company. It was taken over by the ÖBB and used until 1956, making it the last representative of the I e.