Ballard secures 4.8MW order from Siemens Mobility to power hydrogen trains in Romania

Romania’s first hydrogen-powered passenger train fleet will run on Ballard fuel cell technology, marking another important step in Ballard’s long-standing collaboration with Siemens Mobility and the expansion of hydrogen-powered rail in Europe.

Ballard has secured an order for 24 FCrail™ 200kW fuel cell engines, totaling 4.8MW, to power 12 Siemens Mobility Mireo Plus H trains for Romania’s Railway Reform Authority (ARF). This represents the largest commercial deployment of the Mireo Plus H platform to date and its first outside Germany.

Fuel cell engine deliveries are scheduled for 2027 and 2028, with the trains expected to enter passenger service in 2029.

Bringing hydrogen power to Romania’s regional rail network

For rail operators, replacing diesel-powered trains on non-electrified routes is an important part of modernizing passenger services and reducing local emissions. Hydrogen fuel cell technology offers a practical solution, combining long range and fast refueling with the flexibility to operate without continuous overhead electrification.

Romania’s new fleet will bring these capabilities to its regional rail network. The project is the country’s first hydrogen train contract and one of the first hydrogen regional train fleet projects in Eastern Europe, supporting Romania’s longer-term transport decarbonization objectives.

Proven fuel cell technology, integrated for rail

At the core of the Mireo Plus H is a hydrogen fuel cell-based electric propulsion system supported by battery energy storage. Ballard’s fuel cell engines generate electricity to power the train, while the batteries store energy supplied by the fuel cells and recovered through regenerative braking.

The Romanian fleet builds on previous Mireo Plus H deployments in Germany and Siemens Mobility’s established regional train platform. For Ballard, the order extends a collaboration supported by a multi-year supply commitment established in 2022 and reflects the continued application of our fuel cell technology in demanding rail environments.

The Mireo Plus H has already been servicing rail passengers in Europe, with the zero-emission model originally introduced on Germany's Heidekrautbahn line in December 2024 - integrating two Ballard 200kW fuel cell engines and reducing CO₂ emissions by approximately 2,500 tons per unit annually.