Canadian Pacific will use Leclanché SA’s patented battery technology in its groundbreaking Hydrogen Locomotive Program.
The CP hydrogen-powered locomotive pilot project, which was first revealed in December 2020, would retrofit a line-haul diesel freight locomotive with hydrogen fuel cells and Leclanché’s European lithium-ion batteries to power the locomotive’s electric traction motors. For optimal integration, Leclanché will also include its proprietary energy management software. The aim of the project is to determine if the combined technologies are ready for use in the freight rail industry. CP will perform rail service trials and certification tests until the locomotive is operational. CP operates a 21,000-kilometer (13,000-mile) rail network that connects deep-water ports on the Atlantic and Pacific Oceans throughout Canada and the United States.
The freight rail industry is huge and rising all over the world. The workload of Canada’s freight rail market, measured in gross ton-miles, rose by 6.2 percent year over year in 2018, and by 10.1 percent as compared to the five-year average. The distance traveled by Canada’s freight trains rose by 5.4 percent to 68.6 million freight train-miles in 2018 compared to 2017.
“Leclanche is pleased to have been chosen by Canadian Pacific for inclusion in its hydrogen locomotive, zero emission freight train program, This project further expands our addressable market to include electrification of the freight rail sector representing a major global opportunity for the reduction of greenhouse gases.”
Anil Srivastava, CEO, Leclanché
“Our battery systems and energy management software solution significantly increase the total energy efficiency compared to standalone fuel cell modules, reducing the total cost of ownership. In addition to North America, we are currently looking at the freight train market in Europe, Australia, Brazil and South Africa – all of which are ideally suited for the transformation of their current diesel stock,”
Srivastava
The eTransport Solutions division of Leclanché caters to the needs of the medium and heavy transportation industries by offering a wide range of solutions based entirely on in-house technologies, including lithium cells, battery modules, battery management systems, and battery packs, as well as energy management software. Since the beginning of commercial operations in 2019, Leclanché has delivered/commissioned over 430 high-capacity marine racks and commercial vehicle battery packs to customers. Global original equipment manufacturers (OEMs) in the passenger rail, marine, bus, truck, and specialist vehicles sectors are among these customers.
