East Japan Railway Company (“JR East”), Hitachi, Ltd. (“Hitachi”), and Toyota Motor Corporation (“Toyota”) have entered into an agreement to collaborate on development of test railway vehicles equipped with hybrid systems that use hydrogen powered fuel cells and storage batteries as their source of electricity. By collaborating to develop these test railway vehicles, we aim to further improve the environmental superiority of railways and realize a sustainable society.
As efforts are made throughout the world to create sustainable societies, the same is also true for the railway sector, a means of mass transport, where there is high anticipation for next-generation rolling stock that operates using clean energy, such as hydrogen. Hydrogen ensures minimal environmental impact as it does not emit any carbon dioxide when used as an energy source and it can be produced from various raw materials using renewable energy.
The development of innovative rolling stock powered by hydrogen will therefore contribute to the development of a low-carbon society as it helps to curb global warming and diversify energy sources.
Combining their railway and automotive technologies, namely JR East’s railway vehicle design and manufacturing technologies. Hitachi’s railway hybrid drive system technologies developed with JR East, and Toyota’s technologies acquired through development of the Mirai fuel cell electric vehicle and the SORA fuel cell bus, the three companies will adapt the fuel cells used in automobiles for railway applications.
Together, they will create hybrid (fuel cell) test vehicles with the aim of achieving the high-power output control necessary to drive railway vehicles, which are much larger than automobiles.
OVERVIEW OF THE HYBRID (FUEL CELL) TEST VEHICLES
Train Configuration
– Vehicle model – FV-E991 series
– Train configuration – Two cars in one unit
Workings of the Fuel Cell Hybrid System
The hydrogen used to fill the hydrogen tank is supplied to the fuel cell device and undergoes a chemical reaction with oxygen in the air to generate electricity. The main circuit storage battery is charged by electric power from the fuel cell device and by capturing and converting energy to electric power using regenerative braking. The hybrid drive system supplies the electric power to the traction motors from both the fuel cell device and the main circuit storage battery, controlling the movement of the wheels.
Toyota will develop the fuel cell device and Hitachi will develop the hybrid drive system.
Main Specs of the Test Vehicle
| Item | Model FV-E991 Specs |
| Train configuration | 2 cars (1M1T) |
| Maximum speed | 100 km/h |
| Acceleration | 2.3 km/h/s |
| Range | Approx. 140 km (max.) |
| Main circuit devices | Inverters (VVVF inverter)1C2M × 2 units, Traction motors95 kW × 4 |
| Fuel cell device | Solid polymer electrolyte 60 kW × 4 |
| Main circuit storage battery | Lithium-ion battery 120 kWh × 2 |
| Hydrogen tank unit | Max. filling pressure 70 MPa (approx. 700 atmospheres) Hydrogen storage capacity 51L × 5 tanks × 4 units |
This nickname HYBARI (HYdrogen-HYBrid Advanced Rail vehicle for Innovation) was adopted to evoke an image of an advanced hybrid railway vehicle equipped with fuel cells and a main circuit storage battery that will generate innovation.
