CEO Henri Poupart-Lafarge says hydrogen technology is not yet mature.
Coradia iLint has been successfully tested in the Netherlands.
Alstom has confirmed that the development of hydrogen-powered trains has been “put on hold” due to the withdrawal of government funding, while the company’s chief executive, Henri Poupart-Lafarge, says hydrogen technology is “not yet mature”.
In an interview with French media bfm business, Alstom confirmed an internal document stating that development had been suspended. The company says that all existing orders for hydrogen-powered trains will be completed in France and the rest of Europe, and that Alstom will continue to provide maintenance support.
In France, 12 hydrogen-powered Régiolis trains have been ordered by the regions of Bourgogne-Franche-Comté, Occitanie, Grand Est and Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes. The Coradia Stream H design has also been ordered by South East Railway (two trains) and Northern Milan Railway (FNM) in Italy, the latter of which has awarded Alstom a framework contract to supply up to 14 hydrogen trains.
Hydrogen is seen as a zero-emissions alternative to diesel, and has been promoted since 2022 by the European Union (EU) which has authorized €5 billion to support research. The Coradia iLint hydrogen fuel cell train was developed and sold by Alstom in Germany and has been demonstrated in France, where several regions have expressed interest and French companies have participated in developing hydrogen traction technology.
However, the Coradia iLint was never put into trial service in France as hoped. The train has run into problems in Germany where the Rhine Main River Transport Authority (RMV) was forced to withdraw its fleet of 18 trains after repeated technical problems with hydrogen fuel cells.
Siemens Mobility has also encountered problems with its Mireo Plus H design, ordered by Bavaria and Berlin-Brandenburg, while initial enthusiasm for hydrogen in the automotive and airline sectors appears to be waning. Stadler introduced its inaugural Flirt H2 hydrogen train for passenger service in Southern California in September. It also won another hydrogen fleet contract from California and narrow gauge railway contracts in Austria and Italy.
Alstom says it has completed production of a hydrogen fuel cell developed under the EU IPCEI programme, and is continuing discussions with hydrogen train customers in three EU countries. However, some research staff were transferred to other projects.
For detailed data on fleet orders worldwide, subscribe to IRJ Pro.
