CP's H20EL, a hydrogen fuel cell-powered freight locomotive prototype

According to Railway Age, Canadian Pacific’s (CP) H20EL, a hydrogen fuel cell-powered linehaul freight locomotive prototype, will be prepared shortly for official painting and launch.

CP in an October 5 Twitter post provided a video rendering of the H20EL, which stands for Hydrogen Zero Emissions Locomotive (see below). It also included unit details on the “Sustainability Driven” section of its website.

CP’s Hydrogen Locomotive Program in December 2020 announced work on the H2OEL, a retrofit of an existing diesel-electric linehaul locomotive. The diesel prime mover and traction alternator are being replaced with hydrogen fuel cell and battery technology to power the unit’s electric traction motors. Ballard is supplying six 200-kilowatt fuel cell modules, which will provide a total of 1.2 megawatts of electricity to power the locomotive.