Poland’s first hydrogen-powered train has entered regular service, with rolling stock manufacturer PESA’s SM42-6Dn locomotive – integrating Ballard Power Systems’ fuel cell technology – deployed in Silesia, supporting the country’s commitment to greener freight operations.
Having successfully completed final test runs in August, the SM42-6Dn, which is primarily a four-axle shunting locomotive for driving light freight, finally hit the tracks for passenger journeys in September.
The 70-ton locomotive has 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 original SM42 shunting locomotive class and represents the first phase of the company's program to implement zero-emission technologies in rail vehicle drives.
The model was initially unveiled at the InnoTrans international conference in Berlin, Germany in 2022. 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, and the hydrogen variant of the SM42-6Dn is PESA’s primary offering of a commercially ready shunter vehicle with supporting mobile refuelling infrastructure.
Operated by regional rail company Koleje Dolnośląskie, the train is now running on a 16km scenic route from Jelenia Góra to Karpacz. With capacity for 175kg of hydrogen, PESA’s model can operate for a full 24-hour period without the need to refuel.
Powering PESA's locomotive is two robust proton-exchange membrane (PEM) 85kW fuel cell engines from Ballard - proven in zero-emission heavy-duty motive applications. The hydrogen-based module 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.
Ballard's modular fuel cell design enables flexible integration of components into the vehicle drivetrain, offers better performance, fuel efficiency, and resilience by preventing degradation of the fuel cell power unit, and its proven performance and reliability is demonstrated through exceptional availability and module lifetime - with more than 25,000 hours of operation of the fuel cell in the field without failure.
The latest development in the SM42-6Dn’s journey comes after PESA entered into a service agreement with Väte Rail and Hankavik in May 2025 to introduce the fuel cell-powered shunter into operation in Sweden by the end of 2027.
Completing further trials with train operators in western Poland later in September, PESA’s Ballard-powered locomotive also featured at several recognized industry conferences – including the annual Economic Forum in Karpacz and the Pomeranian Intermodal Transport Congress.