The class 218 is the best-known and most-built member of the so-called "V 160 locomotive family". Previously, several smaller series of the classes 215-217 were built in the years 1964-68, which are optically hardly to distinguish, but technically have several deviations. The experiences with these series were integrated into the development of the later "218". The class 215 locos handed over to the freight train division of DB were designated as class 225.