First Hydrogen-Powered Train in the World Starts Production in China

April Fowell, Tech Times 23 January 2023, 07:01 pm

The first hydrogen-powered train in the world has been produced and rolled off the assembly line in China, as reported by Chinese media.

(Photo : LIONEL BONAVENTURE/AFP via Getty Image)
A train arrives to Matabiau train station in Toulouse, on December 2, 2022 during a strike organised by SNCF (French state rail company) controllers.

The Train

The hydrogen-powered Tain can go as fast as 99 mph and uses the same technology as the Fixing bullet train. It is reported that the train runs on hydrogen power technology with a 373-mile battery life.

A hydrogen fuel cell and a supercapacitor were placed in the old catenary power supply. The electrochemical reaction of hydrogen and oxygen produced energy in a hydrogen fuel cell. Moreover, the reaction process is also said to be quiet and stable.

China is on a mission to grow their hydrogen energy sector based on its plan to have around 50,000 hydrogen fuel-cell vehicles on the road by 2025. This will produce between 10,000 and 200,000 metric tons of hydrogen from renewable energy every year.

The train was developed via a joint effort by CRRC Changchun and Chengdu Railway Group.

The train has a passenger capacity of 1,502. Its new design features integrated intelligent driving features, such as automatic wake-up, start and stop, return to depot abilities, a system of sensors and monitors, big data analysis, and a 5G large-capacity train-to-ground communication system that allows for multi-network integration.

According to the National Energy Administration (NEA), China had around 270 hydrogen refueling stations by the end of June 2022. It can be recalled that in June 2022, FAW Jiefang sent 300 hydrogen fuel-cell vehicles from the province of Jilin to customers in Shanghai, Beijing, Shanxi, and other cities.

Also Read: China's Hyperloop-Like Train Completes Test! Speed Reached and Other Details

The Growth of Hydrogen in China

In December 2022, the plans for a hydrogen energy industrial layout in Jilin province was unveiled with plans to build 400 hydrogen refueling stations by 2035. The province is set to become a national-level renewable hydrogen supply base by the end of 2025.

Hydrogen can be produced through various sources of primary energy through power generation. Via electrolysis, hydrogen can be extracted, stored, and converted into electricity when needed.

Green hydrogen is produced from renewable energy, like wind and Photovoltaic (PV) power, which makes it one of the most environmentally-friendly technologies today.

China is taking the lead in hydrogen refueling station deployments as well. There are over a thousand hydrogen stations in the world and approximately one-third of them are in China.

It's no surprise that a train like this has come out of China. The country controls a significant amount of the lithium battery supply chain. Over the years, the country has shown the world its forward-thinking technology that enables them to meet their renewable energy goals. Indeed, the future is exciting for the Middle Kingdom in terms of green energy.