• The first hydrogen vehicle in Poland will be built thanks to support from KPO

PESA Bydgoszcz SA Rail Vehicles will begin work on Poland's first hydrogen-powered passenger vehicle, capable of operating on both electrified and non-electric lines. The National Fund for Environmental Protection and Water Management (NFEP) has signed an agreement with the company to co-finance the project from the National Recovery and Resilience Plan (KPO).

• The project entitled "Implementation of a research and development project concerning the development and construction of a demonstrator of a hydrogen passenger vehicle with additional power supply from the traction network" is carried out under the priority program "Hydrogenization of the Economy".
• The total cost of the project is over PLN 108 million, including funding of over PLN 36 million from the KPO.
• The agreement was signed by Dorota Zawadzka-Stępniak, President of the Management Board of the National Fund for Environmental Protection and Water Management, and Robert Tafiłowski and Maciej Maciejewski, Vice Presidents of PESA. The meeting was attended by Paulina Hennig-Kloska, Minister of Climate and Environment, Piotr Malepszak, Deputy Minister of Infrastructure, Mirosław Suchoń, Chairman of the Infrastructure Committee, and Maciej Grześkowiak, Director of Strategic Projects and Communications at PESA.

“Today, we are taking another step in the development of hydrogen-powered railways in Poland. We are allocating over PLN 36 million to build a prototype of the first Polish hydrogen passenger vehicle – an impressive project with global potential. Poland must embrace the latest, clean technologies in renewable energy and transport to create advantages in the energy and climate transition. The participation of domestic companies allows us to build our own supply chains and become independent from import markets. We are creating a space for our scientists, engineers, and employees to develop solutions that we will proudly present in Europe and around the world.”– said Paulina Hennig-Kloska, Minister of Climate and Environment.

“We are supporting a project that truly pushes the technological boundaries of Polish rail. This is the first solution in the country combining hydrogen propulsion with the ability to be powered from the overhead contact line, making it flexible and ready for implementation in a variety of infrastructure conditions. We are investing not only in the vehicle itself, but also in the expertise and technologies that have the potential to become a Polish specialty in zero-emission transport.” – emphasized Dorota Zawadzka-Stępniak, president of the board of the National Fund for Environmental Protection and Water Management.

The project aims to build a HEMU (Hydrogen Electric Multiple Unit) passenger vehicle. It will be the first hydrogen train in Poland equipped with three power sources: energy from the overhead contact line (pantograph), hydrogen fuel cells, and batteries. This solution will allow for flexible adaptation of the vehicle's operation to the conditions of a given route. Thanks to a control system developed by Pesa, the vehicle will select the most efficient energy source, reducing hydrogen consumption on sections with overhead contact lines.

“Since 2019, we have been consistently building a hydrogen ecosystem. Our shunting locomotive has already passed testing and certification, generating interest in Sweden, the KGHM Group, and Orlen, among others. Now we are taking the next step – the HEMU passenger vehicle. Thanks to funding from the National Fund for Environmental Protection and Water Management, we will create technology that completely eliminates CO2 emissions on local routes, offering passengers peace and comfort, and operators the efficiency that batteries alone cannot provide.”– emphasized Robert Tafiłowski, vice-president of the management board of PESA Bydgoszcz SA

As part of the project, the company will develop technical documentation and build a demonstration vehicle that meets the requirements of the railway market and safety standards related to the use of hydrogen.

This solution is particularly important for regional passenger transport. Approximately 40% of railway lines in Poland are not electrified, meaning low-emission hydrogen trains could become an alternative to traditional diesel trains.

This is another agreement with PESA. In September 2025, the National Fund for Environmental Protection and Water Management signed a grant agreement that co-finances the construction of production facilities necessary for the production of hydrogen locomotives in Bydgoszcz. This investment involves the construction of a comprehensive production infrastructure with a total area of ​​over 15,000 m².

During the project's lifespan, the company plans to produce and sell 25 hydrogen locomotives, the operation of which is expected to reduce CO₂ emissions by over 7,600 tons. These will be the first mass-produced shunting locomotives in Europe powered by green or low-emission hydrogen, additionally equipped with an autonomous track obstacle detection system.

Rail Vehicles PESA Bydgoszcz SA is Poland's largest rail vehicle manufacturer, present not only in Poland but also in many European countries, as well as in Asia and Africa. The company's majority shareholder is the Polish Development Fund Group, which holds over 99% of PESA's shares.

Source:  Hydrogencentral