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The corporations mentioned in a joint assertion that checks of a prepare outfitted with a brand new hydrogen drive will start in 2024 and run for one yr. The two-car prepare can have a high velocity of 160 kilometers per hour (99.four miles per hour) and it may be recharged in simply 15 minutes.

The prepare, which is named the Mireo Plus H, will run between three cities in the German state of Baden-Württemberg, changing a standard diesel-powered unit operating on the route. The new hydrogen drive will save round 330 tons of CO2 a yr, the businesses mentioned.

“Hydrogen drives are an advanced, emission-free form of propulsion that will help decarbonize rail transport and make a significant contribution toward achieving our climate targets,” Siemens (SIEGY) Mobility CEO Michael Peter mentioned in an announcement.

Deutsche Bahn operates round 1,300 diesel trains in regional service, and roughly 40% of its 33,000 kilometer (20,500 mile) rail community has not but been electrified -— which means trains cannot run utilizing overhead energy traces. The firm plans to get rid of diesel trains from its community by 2050.

An image of the Mireo Plus H provided by Siemens.

The Mireo Plus H will likely be powered by a battery and gasoline cells that converts hydrogen and oxygen into electrical energy. The two-car prepare can have a variety of 600 kilometers (373 miles), and Siemens mentioned it could additionally develop a three-car model with a variety of 1,000 kilometers (621 miles).

“Whether powered by overhead line electricity or hydrogen — the decisive factor is that the energy comes from renewable sources,” Baden-Württemberg transport minister Winfried Hermann mentioned in an announcement. “This country wants to be a pioneer in modern, sustainable rail transport.”

Hydrogen has lengthy been thought-about a promising vitality supply for rail networks. France’s Alstom (ALSMY) examined a hydrogen-powered prepare in northern Germany between 2018 and 2020, and has expanded the service into some routes in Austria.

European regulators blocked Siemens’ proposed acquisition of Alstom in 2019, saying the merger would have harmed competitors in railway signaling programs and really high-speed trains.

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