A hydrogen-powered train made by Swiss manufacturer Stadler has achieved a Guinness World Record for the longest distance of 2,803 kilometres achieved by a hydrogen fuel cell electric multiple unit passenger train without refuelling or recharging.
The Stadler FLIRT (Fast Light Intercity and Regional Train) H2 was first unveiled at InnoTrans 2022 in Berlin, a successor to the company’s modern FLIRT commuter train.
In an effort to demonstrate the reliability of the FLIRT H2, Stadler set out to attempt a new record for the range of the hydrogen train without refuelling or recharging.
Undertaken under the close watch of the Guinness World Records adjudicating team, the FLIRT H2 travelled 2,803 kilometres without need for refuel or recharge – a distance equivalent to a journey from Melbourne to Cairns.
“Stadler is consistently focusing on the future of rail transportation with alternative drive systems by continuously developing innovative technologies,” said Martin Ritter, CEO of Stadler US.
The world record was undertaken at the ENSCO test centre in Pueblo, Colorado where the vehicle had undergone its type test procedure. A team of engineers from Stadler and ENSCO drove the FLIRT H2 in shifts over 46 hours on a single tank.
This also marks the second Guinness World Record for a Stadler train with alternative propulsion after the battery-powered FLIRT Akku set the world record for the longest journey with a battery multiple unit in pure battery mode, covering 244 kilometres in Germany.
Joshua S. Hill is a Melbourne-based journalist who has been writing about climate change, clean technology, and electric vehicles for over 15 years. He has been reporting on electric vehicles and clean technologies for Renew Economy and The Driven since 2012. His preferred mode of transport is his feet.