China’s CRRC Corporation Limited recently unveiled its first hydrogen urban train, which is Asia’s first hydrogen train. The hydrogen train has a maximum speed of 160 km/h, and an operational range of 600 km without refueling (the record of 1175 km has been set by Alstom’s Coradia iLint serial train in Germany this September). On the other hand, India is also moving fast to make its first indigenous hydrogen train. According to various statements made by Railway Minister Ashwini Vaishnav, India is likely to get its first hydrogen train by 2023.
The hydrogen train was developed on the basis of the Fuxing high-speed platform and consists of 4 cars. The CRRC also introduced such shunting locomotives in 2021, and hydrogen trams were first produced in the mid-2010s.
The train will also get digital solutions from CRRC including GoA2 automation, component monitoring sensors and 5G data transmission equipment. It is expected that operation of the train will reduce CO2 emissions compared to diesel traction by 10 tons per year.
world’s first hydrogen train
Earlier, Germany became the first country to operate the world’s first hydrogen-powered passenger train fleet. According to the German government, it will replace 15 diesel trains that previously operated on tracks lacking power supplies in Lower Saxony, Germany. The fleet includes 14 trains that use fuel cells to generate electricity, making it the cleanest train fleet ever.
Hydrogen has been seen as a powerful replacement for fossil fuels in the transportation industry. Smaller size fuel cells are also being developed for their use in cars. However, the technology is still in its infancy for a mass-market product. The challenge of hydrogen and its retailing is a challenge that still needs to be overcome.