Hydrogen Fuel Cell-Powered Train Trend Grows Globally
In 2018, Germany launched the world's first hydrogen-power train. It's popularity has grown and now, and Alstom Transport, the manufacturers of the Coradia iLint train, has agreed to provide 14 more trains to Lower Saxony by 2021, and 27 to Hesse by 2022.
Germany is not alone in it's adoption of sustainable transportation. The UK is planning to phase out diesel-only trains by 2040. Rather than replace, they are opting for reuse, as the UK has contracted with Alstom to retrofit their trains to run on hydrogen. The refit design was completed in January 2019. Although the target for all 100 trains is 20 years away, the first batch could be ready for the rails by early 2021!
Source: https://www.theengineer.co.uk/on-track-advances-uk-hydrogen-rail/
France has also come "aboard" with plan to eliminate diesel-powered trains by 2035. Their national rail company, SNCF, has presented plans to get hydrogen fuel cell-powered trains ready for testing by 2021, with expectations that their first set of trains will be fully operational by 2022.
More Companies To Produce Train Options
South Korea is making great strides in fuel cell trains. Hyundai Rotem is the locomotive subsidiary of Hyundai Motor Group, and their prototype is currently on track to start production in 2020.
In 2021, Japan's East Japan Railway Company's testing of their hydrogen powered trains is scheduled to begin.
Source: Fuel Cell & Hydrogen Energy Association
