Pesa Develops Hydrogen-Hybrid Train Prototype!

Polish rolling stock manufacturer Pesa has secured a crucial grant of 36.1 million PLN (approximately 8.6 million euros) from the National Fund for Environmental Protection and Water Management (NFOŚiGW) to advance the development of a hydrogen-hybrid train prototype. The funding is expected to be disbursed by June, with the prototype scheduled for completion during the same period.

Pesa has formally signed the funding agreement with NFOŚiGW, earmarking the resources specifically for the R&D of a two-section hybrid train that integrates hydrogen fuel cells, overhead line power, and battery power. The total project cost exceeds 108 million PLN (approximately 25 million euros), with the remaining balance to be covered by the company itself, beyond the government grant.

It is noteworthy that the signing of this agreement was planned a year ago but was delayed after the European Commission spent a year investigating whether the state aid constituted illegal support for Pesa. The agreement was finalized only after the Commission confirmed its compliance. Additionally, Pesa successfully secured 1.6 billion euros in funding at the end of 2025 to expand production capacity, secure new orders, and advance various R&D projects, providing a solid financial foundation for this hydrogen train initiative.