French train manufacturer Alstom has developed a passenger train that incorporates both fuel cells and lithium-ion batteries The company presented the zero-emission Coradia iLint at the recent InnoTrans trade fair in Berlin.

The German state of Lower Saxony has ordered 14 units, according to Die Welt, and plans to put them into service in December. Rail operators in the Netherlands, Denmark and Norway have also expressed interest.

Based on Alstom’s popular Coradia Lint 54 diesel train, the Coradia iLint has comparable performance – it can travel almost 500 miles per day at speeds of up to 87 mph. A hydrogen fuel tank and fuel cells are located on the roof of the train. Energy from the fuel cells and from regenerative braking is stored in Li-ion batteries, which power the electric motors.

Alstom offers the Coradia iLint to operators as a complete package, including maintenance and the complete hydrogen infrastructure. The company plans to obtain the hydrogen from chemical companies that release it as a waste product, making the train truly emission-free.

“Alstom is proud to launch a breakthrough innovation in the field of clean transportation,” said Alstom CEO Henri Poupart-Lafarge. “It shows our ability to work in close collaboration with our customers and develop a train in only two years.”

Sources: Alstom, The Independent, Die Welt