The hydrogen-powered train demonstrator of the FCH2RAIL project starts dynamic testing on external track this week.
This week, CAF has started dynamic track testing of the hydrogen-powered demonstrator train being developed for the FCH2RAILproject. FCH2RAIL is a consortium of companies comprising CAF, DLR, Toyota, Renfe, ADIF, CNH2, IP and Stemmann-Technik.
This demonstrator train is based on one of Renfe's current commuter trains, in which a new power generation system has been installed. This system, which uses a hybridisation of hydrogen fuel cell and battery energy, has been integrated into the vehicle's existing traction system. As a result, it will become one of the first bi-mode demonstrator trains with hydrogen fuel cells. In other words, a zero-emissions vehicle concept capable of running in electric mode on the electrified network, while the hybrid mode will be used for operating on catenary-free sections.
After the successful completion of the static tests of the train at the CAF Zaragoza plant, with the start of these tests on an external track, the consortium demonstrates its full commitment to the project, meeting the deadlines initially set for this dynamic testing phase on track.
During the dynamic tests, the hybridisation of the fuel cells and the batteries will be optimised on routes that have been specifically selected as representative of those that would be used for commercial services, meaning that the new system will be fully tested in a wide range of different power demand conditions. As a result of these tests, the competitiveness of the new bi-mode hybrid propulsion solution can be evaluated against the diesel trains currently in use on many routes.
The project has a 14 million euro budget, 10 million of which is being funded by the Clean Hydrogen Partnership, formerly FCH2 JU, a European Commission agency dedicated to promoting the development of hydrogen and fuel cells.
In this context, CAF once again confirms its commitment to the development of zero-emission mobility solutions, in this case through the use of hydrogen. This is a technology that the CAF Group has been marketing for some years now through its subsidiary, Solaris, EU leader in the hydrogen bus market in 2021.
Link: Press releases - CAF
