The agreement concerns cooperation in introducing hydrogen shunting locomotives into service on the Swedish market. The companies will also cooperate in providing customers with hydrogen refueling infrastructure and creating entire H2 eco systems, with the production of hydrogen from green energy sources.
"The development of our presence on Scandinavian markets is one of the elements of the Pesa 2030+ Strategy. I am very pleased that the first vehicle to hit the Swedish tracks may be our zero-emission hydrogen locomotive, especially since, using the experience gained with the SM42-6Dn, we are already working on the project of the next generation of such vehicles," said Krzysztof Zdziarski, PESA CEO.
The first hydrogen locomotives are to be introduced into service at the turn of 2027/28. Väte Rail is a carrier that has recently signed a contract to service shunting work for one of the world's steel producers. The contract assumes the decarbonization of shunting work, and the Swedish carrier has decided to achieve the assumed zero emission goals by using the Pesa hydrogen locomotive for shunting work. The Swedes flew to Poland to test the SM42-6Dn locomotive in real operating conditions during shunting work on the siding in Inowrocław.
"Our strategy assumes the decarbonization of our entire transport operations by 2030. Our vision is to be the greenest rail carrier, and I believe that if you want to be 'green' on the railway, you must use hydrogen drives," said Jan Forslund, President and owner of Väte Rail.
The third partner of the agreement, Hankavik, is responsible for organizing the rolling stock pool for Väte Rail. Its representatives started talks with Pesa and will be responsible for introducing the locomotives to the Swedish market.
"I am positively surprised by the operating parameters of the hydrogen shunting locomotive manufactured by PESA. The SM42-6Dn performed excellently during shunting work, and our drivers highly appreciated the comfortable working conditions. The shunting locomotives used in Scandinavia are worn-out, old vehicles, and the ecological and quiet hydrogen locomotive seems ideal to replace them," emphasized Adrian Lindqvist, President of Hankavik.
The SM42-6Dn manufactured by Pesa is the first hydrogen locomotive on the European market that has been approved for operation. It is completely emission-free, powered by two hydrogen fuel cells with a power of 85kW each and equipped with four asynchronous motors with a total power of 720kW. It is designed for classic shunting work on the sidings and terminals. Using the experience gathered so far, Pesa has started work on the design of a new 2H shunting locomotive, which, in addition to hydrogen fuel cells, will have additional power supply from electric traction, which will enable the withdrawal of trains from terminals in regional rail traffic. The Pesa Loco 2H prototype is to be ready at the turn of 2026/27.
