PESA - Poland's largest manufacturer of rolling stock - has introduced the first certified hydrogen-powered shunting locomotive to be approved for the European market. First introduced at InnoTrans 2022 in Berlin, the new SM42-6Dn prototype 4-axle locomotive is powered by two Ballard 85kW fuel cells.
The locomotive's hydrogen tanks have a 175kg capacity, and one refueling period allows for 24-hours of shunting operation. It also features regenerative braking - which feeds the 167.6kW/h lithium titanate-oxide traction batteries.
As the first Polish rolling stock manufacturer to implement hydrogen fuel cell drives in rail vehicles, PESA has made zero- and low-emission rail transport the base assumption of its product strategy. The company has spent the last three years working on pioneering projects for shunting locomotives, with the SM42-6Dn being the first stage of PESA's program of incorporating hydrogen technologies into its product range. Being able to offer a commercially-ready vehicle with a supporting mobile refueling infrastructure has been a key criteria in PESA's development approach.
The SM42-6Dn locomotive passed preliminary operational testing at PESA's facility in Bydgoszcz, Poland in August 2022, before being showcased alongside a mobile refueling station at InnoTrans a month later. The Railway Institute's certification tests were completed in December, ahead of anticipated final approval during the first half of 2023.
The 70t locomotive is focused on shunting work and driving of light freight trains, with a maximum speed of 90km/h and an ambient temperature of -25°C to +35°C. The model is a hydrogen-driven modernization of PESA's SM42 shunting locomotive class and represents the first phase of the company's program to implement zero-emission technologies in rail vehicle drives. PESA aims to use the experience gained in this project to inform its construction of a hydrogen-powered passenger train - with a prototype initially slated for 2025.
Powering PESA's locomotive is two robust proton-exchange membrane (PEM) 85kW fuel cell modules from Ballard - proven in zero-emission heavy-duty motive applications. The hydrogen-fueled unit offers a low risk, versatile and easy-to-install solution for system integrators, delivering the route flexibility, range and top speeds demanded by industry operators.