In the early 1960s, the Žabotlam emerged as arguably the best train of Czech design, providing unprecedented speed, low floors, and comfort equaling the best in the world during an era dominated by steam locomotives. Despite its planned lifespan being only 17 years, the Žabotlam surprisingly remained in service for over half a century, showcasing its robust engineering and market appeal.

Originally, two prototypes of the lightweight electric motor units EM 475.0 were developed in 1959 by Vagónka Studénka, leading to hopes of their regular integration into the transport system. Nonetheless, the project met significant challenges when, shortly after development began, Škoda Plzeň received a new directive from the State Planning Commission, which forced them to abandon the project to focus on producing locomotives for the Soviet Union, leaving the prototypes without essential electrical equipment.

The abrupt shift in focus left the project nearly abandoned, as the team in Studénka lacked the expertise to effectively develop the necessary electrical systems for the trains. As a result, despite the Žabotlam's potential and initial promise, its success was marred by the difficulties in production and safety issues that would later arise, including incidents of fire and crashes that haunted its reputation throughout its service history.