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BIG PICTURE: World's first hydrogen powered train ... Alstom launches its zero-emission train

Burgess COMMENTARY

Peter Burgess

BIG PICTURE: World's first hydrogen powered train

Alstom has launched its zero-emission train at InnoTrans, the railway industry’s largest trade fair, which takes place in Berlin from 20 to 23 September 2016.Posted On Sep 21, 2016

BIG PICTURE: World's first hydrogen powered train

Alstom has launched its zero-emission train at InnoTrans, the railway industry’s largest trade fair, which takes place in Berlin from 20 to 23 September 2016.

Coradia iLint is a new CO2-emission-free regional train and alternative to diesel power. It is powered by a hydrogen fuel cell, its only emission being steam and condensed water while operating with a low level of noise.

Despite numerous electrification projects in several countries, a significant part of Europe’s rail network will remain non-electrified in the long term. In many countries, the number of diesel trains in circulation is still high – more than 4,000 cars in Germany, for instance.

Alstom is among the first railway manufacturers in the world to develop a passenger train based on hydrogen fuel cell technology. To make the deployment of the Coradia iLint as simple as possible for operators, Alstom offers a complete package, consisting of the train and maintenance, as well as the whole hydrogen infrastructure.

“Alstom is proud to launch a breakthrough innovation in the field of clean transportation which will complete its Coradia range of regional trains. It shows our ability to work in close collaboration with our customers and develop a train in only two years,” says Henri Poupart-Lafarge, Alstom chairman and CEO.

Alstom’s Coradia range of modular regional trains has a proven service track record spanning more than 16 years. Over 2,400 trains have been sold around the world and demonstrate a high availability rate. Coradia iLint is based on the service-proven diesel train Coradia Lint 54. It will be manufactured in Salzgitter, Alstom’s largest site.1 of 2