SEOUL, June 16 (UPI) -- South Korea's Hyundai Rotem unveiled its hydrogen-powered train during the Korea Railways & Logistics Fair.
Hyundai Rotem, an affiliate of automaker Hyundai Motor, said Wednesday the zero-emission train, which emits only water vapor, will be ready for regular production by the end of this year following trial runs.
The train is designed to purify 800 micrograms of fine dust and generate 107.6 kilograms of clean air per hour.
Last month, the train garnered the top prize at the iF Design Awards.
The electrical power needed to provide the hydrogen train its traction is created via the hydrogen fuel cell, which combines hydrogen stored in on-board tanks with oxygen outside.
In the process, only steam and condensed water get emitted.
The vehicle is being developed as the world moves toward reducing harmful emissions, especially carbon dioxide.
Other mobility giants in the United States, Japan, France and Germany, including Alstom and Siemens, also are working to develop hydrogen-based trains.
Germany, which aims to end diesel fuel use by 2040, plans to switch all its fleet to environmentally friendly trains like the hydrogen models.
"The hydrogen train market is expected to grow fast," a Hyundai Rotem official told UPI News Korea. "We are trying to secure a competitive edge in the global train market and the future."
