Alstom And Cummins Make A Deal On Hydrogen Rail Technology
I asked Google AI about this deal and receive this reply.
On April 2, 2026, Alstom announced the acquisition of Cummins’ hydrogen fuel cell activities specifically dedicated to the rail sector. This strategic move brings the technology and manufacturing capabilities for Alstom’s Coradia iLint hydrogen trains in-house, following a period where Cummins looked to wind down its wider hydrogen business amid losses in its Accelera energy transition segment.
Here are the key details of the deal:
Scope of the Acquisition
Fuel Cell Technology In-House: Alstom acquired the engineering, product, and support capabilities for the fuel cells used in its existing hydrogen train fleets, specifically the Coradia iLint.
Manufacturing Facilities: The deal includes the transfer of Cummins’ fuel cell manufacturing and assembly site in Herten, Germany, which has been producing for Alstom since 2021.
Targeted Support: The acquisition allows Alstom to strengthen its ability to maintain, improve, and provide support for existing hydrogen fleets in Germany, Italy, and France.
Context and Strategy
Securing Supply Chain: After facing maintenance issues with the fuel cells, which previously required sourcing parts from North America, this move gives Alstom direct control over its key technology.
Strategic Pivot: While Cummins moves to pivot away from the wider hydrogen market following losses in its Accelera unit, Alstom continues to focus on hydrogen as a critical solution for replacing diesel trains on non-electrified, long-haul lines.
Commitment to Hydrogen: Despite a 2025 announcement by Alstom that it would pause “further development” of new hydrogen technology due to funding cuts, this acquisition proves that the company remains committed to supporting and enhancing its current, contracted hydrogen train programs.
Future Impact
Reliability Improvements: Alstom plans to leverage this acquisition to accelerate development work, improve the energy management, durability, and reliability of the Coradia iLint fleet, and ensure the success of projects in Germany, Italy, and France.
Market Position: This acquisition solidifies Alstom’s position as a leader in sustainable rail alternatives, even as battery technology has advanced.
I would agree strongly with the future impact.
My First Ride In An Alstom Coradia iLint
In March 2019 in My First Ride In An Alstom Coradia iLint, I said this.
I’m finally, riding in a hydrogen-powered Alstom Coradia iLint train through the German countryside.
Not as quiet as the two battery trains, I’ve ridden, but that’s because It feels to me that the traction motors are crudely under the passengers and cardan shafts are used to drive the wheels!
Battery electric trains with regenerative braking should be virtually free of any mechanical noise. Both the Class 379 and Class 230 battery demonstrators were almost silent. As electricity generated from hydrogen doesn’t appear to generate much noise, then a hydrogen-powered train can also be almost silent.
From talking to fellow passengers on my German trip, it would appear that the train has been very reliable in service.
Conclusion
Alstom are proving hydrogen would work well in a train designed for that purpose, but updating a DMU with a noisy mechanical transmission, possibly isn’t the best to go.
I now believe that Alstom have everything they need to create a 125 mph tri-mode multiple unit.
Adding in today’s article about hydrogen, I have written enough about Bombardier, which is now Alstom, and their future plans, so that they can build an Alstom 125 mph tri-mode Aventra, with with electric, battery or hydrogen power.
It could be the ultimate train.
The Bombardier Aventra And Brexit
The Batteries for Bombardier Electrostar
Parallel Thinking From Bombardier
Bombardier’s Battery Technology
Have Bombardier Got A Cunning Plan For Voyagers?
Bombardier Bi-Mode Aventra To Feature Battery Power
Stadler Flirt And Bombardier Aventra Tri-Modes Compared
Bombardier’s Plug-and-Play Train
Bombardier’s 125 Mph Electric Train With Batteries
Do Bombardier Aventras Have Remote Wake-Up?
Rolls-Royce Releases mtu Rail Engines For Sustainable Fuels
The title of this post, is the same as that of this press release from Rolls-Royce.
The press release starts with these bullet points.
- mtu Series 1300, 1500 and 1800 engines already released; Series 1600 and 4000 to follow shortly
- Up to 90% CO2 savings by operating existing engines with Hydrotreated Vegetable Oil (HVO/renewable diesel)
- Locally emission-free operation possible in combination with mtu Hybrid PowerPack
- Field tests with DB Cargo and RDC Autozug Sylt
Note.
- Hitachi Class 800, 802, 805 and Class 810 trains appear to use Series 1600 engines.
- CAF Class 195, 196 and Class 197 trains appear to use Series 1800 engines.
- Class 43 power cars, as used in InterCity 125 trains appear to use Series 4000 engines.
It would appear that many of the UK’s new diesel trains and the remaining Class 43 power-cars can be converted to run on HVO.
This paragraph from the press release gives more details.
Rolls-Royce is taking a significant step towards even more climate-friendly rail transport with the release of mtu rail engines for use with sustainable fuels. With synthetic diesel fuels of the EN15940 standard, CO2 emissions can be reduced by up to 100 percent compared to fossil diesel. Hydrotreated Vegetable Oil (HVO or renewable diesel), which is already commercially available today, reduces CO2 emissions by up to 90 percent. If the fuels are produced with the help of renewable energy and green hydrogen – through what is termed a Power-to-X process – existing rail vehicles can be operated in a completely CO2-neutral manner. The mtu Series 1800 engines which are used in mtu PowerPacks, as well as Series 1300 and 1500 for locomotives and multi-purpose vehicles, are already approved for use with synthetic fuels such as HVO. Series 1600 and versions of Series 4000 engines will follow in the near future. The release of engines for climate-friendly fuels requires a series of tests and trials and Rolls-Royce has found strong partners for this activity. DB Cargo and RDC Autozug Sylt have already tested or are currently testing mtu Series 4000 engines with HVO in their locomotives.
Rolls-Royce mtu seem to have covered all issues.
This is a very significant statement in the paragraph.
If the fuels are produced with the help of renewable energy and green hydrogen – through what is termed a Power-to-X process – existing rail vehicles can be operated in a completely CO2-neutral manner.
This must be the most affordable way to make your diesel trains zero carbon.
Conclusion
Rolls-Royce and Cummins seem to be doing a thoroughly professional job in decarbonising the diesel engines they have made in recent years.
It now needs someone to take small diesel engines down the conversion route, just as Rolls-Royce mtu and Cummins are cleaning up their large engines.
How Many Diesel Multiple Units In The UK Have Voith Hydraulic Transmissions?
This may seem to be a funny question to ask, but all will come clear later in the week.
Doing a quick search through Wikipedia finds the following trains.
- Class 150 – 135 – two-car – 2 x 213 kW
- Class 150 – 2 – three-car – 3 x 213 kW
- Class 153 – 56 – one-car – 1 x 213 kW
- Class 155 – 7 – two-car – 2 x 213 kW
- Class 156 – 114 – two-car – 2 x 213 kW
- Class 158 – 149 – two-car – 2 x 260-300 kW
- Class 158 – 23 – three-car – 3 x 260-300 kW
- Class 159 – 30 – three-car – 3 x 260-300 kW
- Class 165 – 48 – two-car – 2 x 261 kW
- Class 165 – 27 – three-car – 3 x 261 kW
- Class 166 – 21 – three-car – 3 x 261 kW
- Class 168 – 9 – two-car – 2 x 315 kW
- Class 168 – 8 – three-car – 3 x 315 kW
- Class 168 – 11 – four-car – 4 x 315 kW
- Class 170 – 41 – two-car – 2 x 315 kW
- Class 170 – 88 – three-car – 3 x 315 kW
- Class 171 – 12 – two-car – 2 x 315 kW
- Class 171 – 8 – four-car – 4 x 315 kW
- Class 175 – 27 – two-car – 2 x 340 kW
Note.
- The three fields after the train class are the number of trains, the number of cars in each train and the number andsize of engines per train.
- All trains seem to have one diesel engine per car.
- All trains seem to have the same or similar Voith transmission.
There are a total of 816 trains of various lengths.
The Anonymous Widower 