Mireo Plus H Unveiled

On 5 May 2022, DB and Siemens Mobility presented the first Mireo Plus H and its newly designed hydrogen storage trailer at the Krefeld works. The hydrogen Mireo, designated 563 101, is due to start test operation in Baden-Württemberg next year. From 2024, it is to be used in regular passenger service on the Tübingen - Horb - Pforzheim line instead of a diesel railcar. 

This is being done as part of the H2goesRail project, which is being funded to the tune of 13.74 million EUR  by the Federal Ministry for Digital Affairs and Transport (BMDV) as part of the National Innovation Program for Hydrogen and Fuel Cell Technology (NOW).

A key element for making hydrogen technology technically competitive with diesel powered vehicles in everyday use is fast refuelling. DB has therefore developed a new process that makes refuelling hydrogen as fast as refuelling diesel for the first time. We asked DB how this was achieved. The operator stated: "Rapid refuelling is based on safety-related communication. By exchanging data on pressure and temperature, efficient refuelling curves can be set that enable the train to be refuelled quickly under the appropriate boundary conditions. For this purpose, we make use of a cooling system designed for this purpose."
 
To the technical data of the storage trailer:
- 950 kg H₂ at 300 bar,
- 45foot fully mobile trailer,
- refuelling quantities per day approx. 180 kg

The two-car Mireo Plus H for the H2goesRail project has a worklng range of up to 800 km (and up to 1,000 km for the three-car version), a top speed of 160 km/h, a traction power of 1.7 MW and a starting acceleration of 1.1 m/s².