Hydrogen-powered train a step closer to passenger service in Germany

Hydrogen-powered train a step closer to passenger service in Germany


A model of Siemens Mobility’s Mireo Plus photographed in 2019.

Nicolas Armer | Picture Alliance | Getty Images

Plans to deploy a hydrogen-powered train in the southern German state of Bavaria took a step forward this week after Siemens Mobility and rail operator Bayerische Regiobahn put pen to paper on a leasing contract.

The signing of the contract, which took place on Tuesday, builds upon a letter of intent from last summer.

In a statement Wednesday, Siemens said testing of the prototype train would start in mid-2023 on routes including one between Augsburg and Füsse, with the train slated to officially begin a passenger service in Jan. 2024.

The two-car train is based around Siemens Mobility’s Mireo Plus platform. It will use fuel cells that are roof-mounted and incorporate underfloor batteries.

Albrecht Neumann, rolling stock CEO at Siemens Mobility — a separately managed business of Siemens — described the Mireo Plus H as featuring “high driving power, excellent acceleration capability and a large operating range.”

“The hydrogen-powered drive is an emission-free, advanced form of propulsion for trains that decarbonizes rail transport and makes a substantial contribution toward reaching our climate goals,” Neumann said.

Read more about electric vehicles from CNBC Pro

Described by the International Energy Agency as a “versatile energy carrier,” hydrogen has a diverse range of applications and can be used in a wide range of industries, including transportation.

In rail, Siemens Mobility is one of several companies that have been working on trains that use hydrogen. Others include East Japan Railway and European railway manufacturer Alstom. Hydrogen trains from Alstom have already carried passengers in Germany and Austria.

On the road, automotive firms like Toyota have dipped into the hydrogen fuel cell market while smaller companies such as Riversimple are also developing hydrogen-powered cars.

In aviation, Airbus released details in Sept. 2020 of three “hybrid-hydrogen” concept planes, saying they could enter service by the year 2035. The same month saw a hydrogen fuel-cell plane capable of carrying passengers complete its maiden flight.

Airbus CEO Guillaume Faury recently told CNBC that hydrogen planes represented the “ultimate solution” for the mid and long term.



Source

Tesla Autopilot plaintiffs seek 5 million in damages over fatal crash in Florida
Technology

Tesla Autopilot plaintiffs seek $345 million in damages over fatal crash in Florida

A Tesla vehicle passes the Wilkie D. Ferguson Jr. U.S. Courthouse as jury selection began in connection with allegations regarding the safety of Tesla’s autopilot system on July 14, 2025 in Miami, Florida. Joe Raedle | Getty Images Tesla is facing a crucial verdict in a personal injury trial over a fatal Autopilot crash in […]

Read More
Facing questions on AI strategy, Tim Cook says Apple is ‘very open’ to acquisitions
Technology

Facing questions on AI strategy, Tim Cook says Apple is ‘very open’ to acquisitions

Tim Cook arrives for the annual Allen and Co. Sun Valley Media and Technology Conference at the Sun Valley Resort in Sun Valley, Idaho, on July 8, 2025. David Grogan | CNBC Apple’s AI strategy and investment was on the mind of analysts on an earnings call after the company reported third-quarter earnings that showed […]

Read More
Figma’s top VCs are sitting on  billion worth of stock after massive IPO pop
Technology

Figma’s top VCs are sitting on $24 billion worth of stock after massive IPO pop

Figma Inc. signage during the company’s initial public offering (IPO) at the New York Stock Exchange (NYSE) in New York, US, on Thursday, July 31, 2025. Michael Nagle | Bloomberg | Getty Images You can almost smell the bubbly wafting across Silicon Valley. Following Figma’s blockbuster market debut on Thursday, four of the most iconic […]

Read More