Under the H2goesRail project, Siemens Mobility and Deutsche Bahn have presented the Mireo Plus H hydrogen train and a newly designed mobile hydrogen storage trailer at the Siemens plant in Krefeld.
The Mireo Plus H hydrogen train and its new infrastructure are intended to replace diesel multiple-unit trains in commuter and regional transport and reduce rail-related CO2 emissions to zero. “Each train can save up to 45,000 tonnes of CO2 over its service life of 30 years compared to corresponding travel with cars,” Michael Peter, CEO of Siemens Mobility said.
As a two-car train, the Mireo Plus H for the H2goesRail project has an operating range of up to 800 km, is as powerful as its electric multiple-unit counterpart, has 1.7 MW of traction power providing up to 1.1 m/s2 acceleration, and a top speed of 160 kilometers per hour. A three-car version has a range of up to 1,000 km.
One key element needed to make hydrogen technology competitive with diesel fuel in daily operation is a fast refueling process. To provide this, DB has developed a new method that, for the first time, enables a hydrogen train to be refueled as fast as a diesel-powered train. This is an especially important factor considering the closely timed scheduling of DB’s regional passenger service. The fast refueling of hydrogen trains will make the technology competitive in daily operations.
The Mireo Plus H will start testing in Baden-Württemberg in 2023. During its planned passenger service in 2024, the hydrogen train for the H2goesRail project with Deutsche Bahn will provide regular passenger service between Tübingen, Horb and Pforzheim and replace a diesel train.
The H2goesRail project is being funded as part of the National Innovation Programme for Hydrogen and Fuel Cell Technology (NOW GmbH) with EUR 13.74 million by the Federal Ministry for Digital and Transport (BMDV). The funding guideline is coordinated by NOW GmbH and implemented by project lead Jülich.
“In its coalition agreement, the federal government agreed to electrify 75% of the country’s rail network by 2030. Here, alternative drives can help reduce emissions from diesel rail transport. The H2goesRail project will not only test the use of hydrogen for rail, but substantially advance the technology,” Michael Theurer, Parliamentary State Secretary at the Federal Ministry for Digital and Transport (BMDV) said.
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