China launches the world’s fastest hydrogen train

Late last year, a hydrogen train co-developed by CRRC Changchun Railway Co and Chengdu Rail Transit was presented. It is faster than the Alstom Coradia iLint and more high-tech as well.

While Siemens plans to launch its Mireo H2 Plus H in 2024, the competition is also coming from China. The CRRC Group, which already makes high-speed trains with a cruising speed of 400 km/h, has developed a hydrogen-powered urban train. The latter is based on the Fuxing, a four-wagon train capable of reaching a top speed of 160 km/h and having a range of 600 km/h. It is slightly faster than the iLint (140 km/h), but does not match its range (over 1,000 km). However, CRRC is making a difference with an autonomous steering system and a 5G connection.

The Chinese group had already presented a hydrogen shunting locomotive in 2021. It will deliver one unit to Chile and another to Bolivia. CRRC has also designed hydrogen-powered tram-trains, which is operating in China since 2019, and of which 38 units have been ordered by Malaysia (you can read our article about it here).

Do you want to learn more about hydrogen trains? Then our latest 2 articles on the subject should interest you. You can read them here and there. 

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Article written by Laurent Meillaud and translated by Logan King