Austrian government approves iLint hydrogen train for operation

Coradia iLint, Alstom’s first hydrogen train, has completed three months of passenger operated tests with Austrian operator ÖBB on December 1st. Earlier this year, it received official approval from the Austrian Federal Ministry for Climate Protection, Environment, Energy Mobility, Innovation and Technology (BMK) to be operated in Austria.

This breakthrough has placed Austria to be the second country in Europe, after Germany, to approve an emission-free train. This second approval of the Coradia iLint paves the way for it to be mass-produced in the future. “We are immensely proud to confirm that the Coradia iLint has proven that it is suitable for all service routes – even on steep sections, its performance is convincing,” states Gian Luca Erbacci, Senior Vice President of Alstom Europe.

Tested routes

As the Coradia iLint can reach speeds of 140 kilometres per hour and travel distances of 600–800 kilometres it was tested on the important routes in Austria. The southern Lower Austria route which is 259.7 kilometres, Vienna’s route of 312.2 kilometres and eastern Styria of 127 kilometres. The technology, based on fuel cells, was also tested on its operability and performance on steep tracks and different climate conditions. The data collected from these operations will be further analysed to improve the technology.

The Coradia iLint’s timeline started with its introduction at the InnoTrans fair in September 2016 and has undergone successful tests, including its first operation in Germany. The iLint combining innovative elements such as clean energy conversion, flexible energy storage in batteries and smart management of traction power will allow Austria to achieve its future for zero-emission transport.