December 20, 2022: The first 160 km/h hydrogen rail intercity EMU in China, which is developed by a team led by Chen Weirong, Dean of the School of Electrical Engineering of Southwest Jiaotong University, is reported to make its debuts in Chengdu, Sichuan Province at the end of this month.

Chen Weirong, Dean of the School of Electrical Engineering of Southwest Jiaotong University

A 160km/h hydrogen rail intercity EMU runs 500 km back and forth in a day, reducing more than 10,000 kg of carbon dioxide emissions per year, according to the Chen Weirong team’s calculation. Hydrogen rail transit will play an important role in achieving the dual-carbon goal in the field of rail transportation.

Furthermore, hydrogen and fuel cell powered trams, light rail, Shunting locomotives and other rail transits are clean and environmentally friendly. With long cruising range, short construction period and without relying on complex ground power supply system and bows, hydrogen rail transit has become an important direction for the green and low-carbon development of rail transit.

Hydrogen has been the key focus for the global energy industry in recent years, with the application and research & development of hydrogen fuel cell becoming an important field for many scientific researchers. Hydrogen and fuel cell technology has been promoted and applied in passenger cars, buses and logistic vehicles at present. The hydrogen rail transit will also become an important supplement to traditional rial transit in the near future.

Source: FuelCellChina