Leclanché to provide battery technology for Canadian Pacific hydrogen locomotive project

by Michael Green

Leclanché CEO Anil Srivastava: 'Battery systems and energy management software solution significantly increase total energy efficiency'. Photo: Leclanché

Swiss battery storage company Leclanché is to supply its lithium-ion technology to support a hydrogen-powered rail project in Canada.

The Canadian Pacific (CP) project will retrofit a line-haul diesel freight locomotive with hydrogen fuel cells and Leclanché’s European-manufactured lithium-ion batteries to power the vehicle’s electric traction motors.

Leclanché said it will also deploy its proprietary energy management software for the project, which aims to evaluate the combined technologies’ readiness for the freight rail sector.

CP, which operates a 21,000 km rail network across Canada and the US that serves deep-water ports on the Atlantic and Pacific Oceans, will conduct rail service trials and qualification testing once the locomotive is operational.

'Transformation'

Leclanché CEO Anil Srivastava said: "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.”

Last month, Leclanché unveiled a high-energy, 65 Ah lithium-ion pouch cell, designed to meet the demands of bus and truck manufacturers for increased range and operating time for fully-electric and hybrid vehicles.

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