German industrial manufacturing company Siemens is teaming up with railway operator Deutsche Bahn to test its new green transport technology aimed at revolutionizing long-haul travel.
The company said that it plans to test its hydrogen-powered train, which it believes should make current diesel trains obsolete in the coming years.
In a joint statement, the companies said that the first prototype trains will have a range of more than 600 kilometers on a single charge. The companies are hoping to commercially test their new "hydrogen drive" trains by 2024. The testing phase will last for at least 12 months, the companies said.
The two-car train, called the Mireo Plus H, will be capable of reaching a top speed of 160 kph and can be fully charged within just 15 minutes. The train will be running on a track between three cities in Germany's Baden-Württemberg region.
The Mireo Plus H is powered by fuel cells that convert hydrogen and oxygen into electricity, which are then stored on onboard batteries. Siemens plans to develop other versions of its hydrogen trains, including a three-car version capable of traveling more than 1,000 kilometers on a single charge.
Siemens said that the train, which will replace a diesel-powered unit running on the route, should save around 330 tons of carbon emissions during its one-year test run.
"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 Mobility's chief executive officer, Michael Peter, said in a statement.
Siemens is planning to one day replace all of Deutsche Bahn's 1,300 diesel-powered trains in Germany. Deutsche Bahn has been working to electrify its trains but as of now, only 60% of its units have been converted to run on overhead power lines.
Deutsche Bahn said that it plans to become a zero-emission company by 2050. To achieve this goal, the company is willing to utilize all forms of green technologies. Baden-Württemberg transport minister Winfried Hermann said that both overhead line electricity and hydrogen should help Germany become a global pioneer in sustainable rail transport.
