3:00 9 June 2023
PESA receives approval for operation for its hydrogen-powered locomotive
The hydrogen-powered locomotive developed by PESA Bydgoszcz SA has been granted a certificate of approval for operation by the President of the Office of Rail Transport. The concept and design of the locomotive were created by PESA engineers in collaboration with domestic and foreign technological partners. The project, which began in 2019, aimed to implement hydrogen propulsion in rail vehicles, starting with the SM42-6Dn shunting locomotive. The approval marks an important milestone as there are currently no specific European or national regulations for hydrogen propulsion in railway vehicles.
PESA's CEO, Krzysztof Zdziarski, also announced their work on a passenger vehicle powered by electric traction and hydrogen cells. The approved locomotive features a zero-emission hydrogen drive, with two hydrogen cells producing a total power of 170 kW. It utilizes a traction battery to power four asynchronous traction motors with a combined power of 4x180 kW, enabling speeds of up to 90 km/h. The hydrogen is stored in tanks with a total capacity of 175 kg, providing a day's worth of shunting operation on a single refueling. Additionally, the locomotive is equipped with an autonomous driving system, allowing the operator to control the vehicle remotely while setting up trains and obstacle recognition.
Source: ISBnews
