Cummins powers the world’s first fleet of hydrogen trains in Bremervörde, Lower Saxony, Germany. Alstom Coradia iLint trains (previous article) are equipped with Cummins fuel cell systems and will run on the world’s first 100% hydrogen rail route in passenger service. The first zero-emission passenger trains in the fleet of 14 trains arrived in mid-summer.
Coradia iLint trains were developed by Alstom as an alternative to conventional diesel trains. They are powered by Cummins fuel cell systems that convert hydrogen into energy and turn existing non-electrified infrastructure into zero-emission rail lines. The systems allow the train to emit only steam and condensed water when in use and operate with low noise levels which improve operator and passenger comfort.
Cummins and Alstom successfully launched the first-ever hydrogen-powered Coradia iLint train in Germany in 2018. The Coradia iLint has also been successfully tested in Austria, the Netherlands, Poland and Sweden.
The Lower Saxony-based trains will be the first complete fleet in passenger service and are owned by the Landesnahverkehrsgesellschaft Niedersachsen (LNVG). Cummins will supply 54 additional fuel cell systems to Alstom for an order of 27 Coradia iLint trains to be delivered in the Frankfurt metropolitan area.
The hydrogen fuel cell systems used in trains are assembled at Cummins’ hydrogen fuel cell system production center in Herten, Germany. The facility opened earlier this year, enabling accelerated adoption of hydrogen technologies in Europe and around the world.
