Coradia Polyvalent HEMU prototype at Velim

Since 2018 SNCF has been developing a project for the deployment of hydrogen fuel cell-powered trains on its TER services. The first of these trains were scheduled to be put in service in 2022, with a view to the complete elimination of DMUs from TER services by 2035. To carry the project through a steering committee was created in December 2018, composed of SNCF, the Régions and Alstom. This is responsible for overseeing the deployment of the first trains and adapting the rail network and infrastructure for this propulsion technology.

The first tests of HMUs on TER services were scheduled for 2021, with several Régions, including Burgundy-Franche-Comte, Occitanie, Auvergne-Rhone-Alpes and Grand Est, having expressed an interest in the eventual use of these trains. The first tests using HMUs were scheduled for 2022 and commercial service was expected at the end of 2023. These tests will take place alongside those of hydrogen plus electric hybrids and other types using biofuels.

Initially it was envisaged that the trains will be built by Alstom, therefore the Coradia Polyvalent platform, destined mostly for the French customers, was used, rather than the Coradia iLint offered to clients so far. The prototype is an electric and hydrogen fuel cell hybrid. It has a top speed of 160 km/h, and will be capable of a range of 600 km using its fuel cells alone. It will be able to carry up to 220 passengers.

On 29 August 2019, then SNCF chairman Guillaume Pépy announced his intention to order 15 of these trains. At present 95 % of all hydrogen produced is derived from fossil fuels. SNCF thus intends to develop means for the „green“ production of hydrogen, using processes such as the electrolysis of water.

However, the Coradia Polyvalent, which was developed for the French market (and also found application in some African countries) and was produced by the Reichshoffen works, is no more in Alstom‘s portfolio. In August 2022, this plant, together with its production there, was taken over by CAF in accordance with the requirements of European regulatory authorities when approving the takeover of Bombardier Transportation by Alstom in January 2021 (similarly, the Talent 3 platform has also been transferred to CAF).