Hydrogen Powered Train Is A Reality, In Service

French multinational company, Alstom recently presented its zero-emission train at InnoTrans, the railway industry's largest trade fair that took place in Berlin. Their latest innovation dubbed Coradia iLint, is a new CO2-emission-free regional train which is consciously pushed ahead as an alternative to diesel power. This means of transport is powered by a hydrogen fuel cell whose only emission is steam and condensed water. It generates low level of noise, which makes Alstom among the first to develop a passenger train based on such a technology.

"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," declared Henri Poupart-Lafarge, Alstom Chairman and CEO.

Alstom's Coradia iLint is based on the service-proven diesel train, Coradia Lint 54 and has a capacity of up to 300 passengers, including seats for 150. The top speed is listed as 140km/h (87mph) and its fuel cell onboard the train mixes hydrogen and oxygen to produce electricity, which is stored in a lithium-ion battery. The Coradia iLint will be manufactured in Salzgitter which is also Alstom's largest site.