Alstom’s Coradia iLint hydrogen powered train wins German Sustainability Award

"Alstom has the clear goal of becoming an international leader in alternative rail propulsion technologies. Our Coradia iLint hydrogen train is proof that innovative, sustainable mobility is a reality. We are very pleased to receive the German Sustainability Design Award and are proud to be able to decisively advance the development of sustainable propulsion systems," commented Müslüm Yakisan, President of Alstom in Germany, Austria and Switzerland.

With the Coradia iLint Alstom has developed an economical alternative to conventional carbon-heavy diesel trains and has paved the way for further sustainable mobility innovations. Alstom’s award-winning hydrogen train combines various innovative concepts such as clean energy conversion, flexible energy storage batteries, and smart management of motive power and available energy. Specifically developed for use on non-electrified lines, the Coradia iLint enables emission-free, sustainable train operation while maintaining high performance.

German railway operator Landesnahverkehrsgesellschaft Niedersachsen was the first Coradia iLint customer and received the European Railway Award in early 2021 for its consistent commitment to employing alternative drive systems. Based on the ground-breaking development, Alstom is also meeting demand for hydrogen applications on rail outside Germany, including in France and Italy where the first contracts have already been signed.

Since the transport sector accounts for over 20 percent of global greenhouse gas emissions, now more than ever sustainability and emission-neutral solutions are playing a major role in the climate debate. Alstom has recognized the potential and importance of sustainable mobility solutions in rail transport in meeting global environmental targets and is developing forward-looking drive technologies to support these goals. This is because operators of partially electrified and non-electrified rail lines will remain dependent on conventional diesel trains and thus on fossil fuels until an emission-free alternative exists.

Alstom first presented the Coradia iLint to the public at InnoTrans Berlin in 2016 and in 2018 the Coradia iLint received approval for passenger operation in Germany. Since then, the first two pre-series trains have already covered more than 200,000 kilometres of regular passenger service. Starting in 2022, Alstom will begin delivering the first of a total of 41 Coradia iLint series trains ordered in Germany.

Alstom already offers a complete portfolio of alternative drive systems for rail transport. In addition to innovative hydrogen technology, Alstom is the only company in Germany to have successfully sold battery trains, proving that reliable and emission-free alternatives to diesel-powered regional trains on non-electrified routes are already ready for the market.

Learn more about the German Sustainability Design Award

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