Japan Hydrogen Train

February 22, 2022

Japan has launched its first hydrogen-powered train. This unveiling is seen as a step towards the country’s objective of becoming carbon neutral by 2050. The hydrogen-fuelled train will be tested in the country in March.

Overview:

“Hybari” the two-car train costs over USD 35 million or 4 billion yen and can go up to 140 kilometers or 87 miles at a top speed of 100 kilometers per hour on a single hydrogen refuelling.

Who has developed this train?

The train has been developed by East Japan Railway in association with Hitachi and Toyota Motor Corporation. The nation has plans to replace its diesel fleet with this hydrogen variant of trains and will also look to export them. In 2030, commercial services are expected to start.

Which country has rolled out the first hydrogen-fuelled train?

In hydrogen-fuelled trains, Europe has been a pioneer. Germany launched the world’s first train in 2018 which was built by Alstom SA. Special fuelling stations and new regional trains are being developed by Deutsche Bahn AG and Siemens AG, and they will be tested in 2024.

Conclusion

In order to achieve net-zero energy, Japan has made hydrogen a major clean-energy source. Toyota is looking at increasing the production of its second-generation hydrogen-fuelled Mirai cars by ten times with more commercial vehicles and fuel-cell buses plying on the road.

The government of Japan has plans to increase hydrogen usage to 20 million tonnes by 2050. Energy industries such as Kawasaki and Iwatani Heavy Industries are attempting to develop hydrogen supply chains in order to lower the cost of fuel.

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