East Japan Railway Co., Toyota Motor Corp. and Hitachi, Ltd. have announced they will jointly develop trains powered by fuel cells that generate electricity using hydrogen.
Demonstration tests will be conducted on the JR Tsurumi Line and other areas around March 2022 in the first practical application of the technology for hydrogen fuel-cell train in Japan.
The railroad vehicle will be developed by using each company's expertise including Toyota's technology for hydrogen fuel-cell vehicle MIRAI and Hitachi's know-how in developing storage batteries. It will be loaded with 20 hydrogen tanks each holding 51 liters, enabling it to travel up to about 140 kilometers.
The test vehicle is a two-car train nicknamed Hibari. The maximum speed is 100 kph, and it is expected to be "equivalent to the performance of an ordinary train," according to Yuji Fukasawa, president and CEO of JR East.
JR East aims to reduce the amount of carbon dioxide emitted by its group companies to virtually zero by 2050.
Courtesy of East Japan Railway Co.
Image of the fuel-cell railroad vehicle jointly developed by the three companies
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