Germany Unveils the First Hydrogen-Powered Trains in the World.

On Wednesday, Germany launched the first hydrogen-powered train in history. According to a CNN story, the government is paving the way for more environmentally friendly travel with this project.

According to the article, 14 Coradia iLint trains with fuel-cell propulsion will be the only ones operating on the route in Bremervorde, Lower Saxony. According to CNN, an agreement for 93 million euros has been reached between Alstom, the company that makes these trains, and Landesnahverkehrsgesellschaft Niedersachsen (LVNG), the proprietors of the railway.

According to Alstom CEO Henri Poupart-Lafarge, “emission-free transportation is one of the most critical priorities for assuring a sustainable future.”

On Wednesday, five of these 14 trains made their debuts. By the end of the year, they will have gradually replaced the 15 diesel trains on the route. The weight of one kilogram of hydrogen fuel is comparable to 4.5 kilograms of diesel fuel.

On the 100km (60 miles) railway connecting the cities of Cuxhaven, Bremerhaven, Bremervoerde, and Buxtehude in Hamburg, these hydrogen-powered trains have taken the place of diesel trains.

Along with the gas and engineering firm Linde, the project also entails the Elbe-Weser Railways and Transport Business (EVB), which will operate the trains.

The only emissions from the trains are steam and evaporated water; they make very little noise and emit no pollutants. According to CNN, they can operate on the network for a full day on a single tank of hydrogen because they have a 1,000-kilometer (621-mile) range.