Arcola Energy backs Vivarail in hydrogen hybrid train push

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Hydrogen fuel cell specialist Arcola Energy has joined forces with British rolling stock company Vivarail to develop a hydrogen and battery hybrid train, aiming to create an emission-free option for regional rail services in the United Kingdom.

Partnership targets cleaner regional rail

According to published coverage from rail industry outlets, Vivarail and Arcola Energy announced a long-term collaboration in May 2019 to design and test a hydrogen and battery powered version of Vivarail’s Class 230 multiple unit. The project is presented as part of a broader effort to cut carbon emissions from the UK’s rail network, particularly on non-electrified routes where diesel traction remains dominant.

Public information indicates that Vivarail, formed to convert former London Underground D78 stock into modern regional trains, has already introduced battery and battery-diesel hybrid Class 230 units. Arcola Energy, meanwhile, has built up experience integrating hydrogen fuel cells into road vehicles, including buses. The partnership brings these strands together to explore how hydrogen technology can be adapted to rail in combination with on-board batteries.

Reports suggest the two companies see the hybrid concept as a way to offer zero local emissions operation without the high cost and disruption of installing new overhead or third rail electrification. Instead, the train would store energy on board, taking advantage of refuelling and charging infrastructure at depots or selected stations.

Hydrogen and battery hybrid concept

Technical descriptions released by the companies and reported by specialist media show that the proof-of-concept train is based on Vivarail’s modular power pack design used on the Class 230. The initial demonstrator is configured as a two-car unit, with one carriage housing battery modules and the other containing hydrogen tanks and a fuel cell system. All major equipment is mounted under the floor to preserve passenger space inside the former Underground vehicles.

These batteries are intended to store electrical energy generated by the fuel cell, which combines hydrogen with oxygen from the air to produce electricity and water. The traction motors draw power from the batteries, while the fuel cell replenishes their charge during operation. Regenerative braking can also feed electricity back into the batteries, increasing overall efficiency.

The approach mirrors hybrid systems that have already been trialled in buses and road vehicles, where batteries handle rapid power changes and energy recovery, and fuel cells provide steady, longer-duration power. By transferring this architecture to rail, Arcola Energy and Vivarail aim to balance range, performance and weight in a way that suits regional passenger services.

From prototype to potential service

Information released when the collaboration was announced indicated that testing of the proof-of-concept train was expected at Vivarail’s Long Marston facility in central England from late 2019 or early 2020. The demonstrator builds on technology used in an earlier Class 230 battery train, with the hydrogen equipment integrated into the same basic vehicle platform.

Beyond the two-car concept train, published plans have described a possible production model formed of four cars. In this notional configuration, batteries would be placed in the end driving cars, while hydrogen tanks and fuel cells would be installed in intermediate vehicles. Using multiple power modules is intended to provide redundancy and flexibility in matching power output to route demands.

The Class 230 platform itself is designed to accept different power options, including diesel, pure battery and battery-diesel hybrid arrangements. The hydrogen and battery hybrid is presented as another variant in this family, allowing the same underlying trains to be deployed with different propulsion systems depending on infrastructure and service requirements.

Decarbonisation context in the UK rail sector

The Vivarail and Arcola Energy collaboration sits within a wider push to decarbonise UK transport. Government strategy documents and industry studies have highlighted hydrogen and battery technologies as potential alternatives to diesel on routes where full electrification is considered difficult or uneconomic.

Rail-focused publications note that Vivarail’s work on battery and hybrid trains has already led to approvals for passenger service and export of battery units to North America. Arcola Energy has separately been involved in projects to apply fuel cell technology to heavy vehicles and other rail initiatives, reflecting growing interest in hydrogen across multiple transport modes.

Analysts point out that hydrogen trains face challenges, including the need to develop supply chains, refuelling infrastructure and robust business cases. However, projects such as the Vivarail and Arcola Energy hybrid demonstrator are viewed as important steps in testing how the technology performs in real-world rail conditions and how it might complement electrification and battery-only solutions.

Future prospects for hydrogen hybrid rolling stock

While the original announcement of the partnership dates from 2019, ongoing discussion in specialist media and policy reports continues to cite the Vivarail and Arcola Energy hybrid as a reference point in the evolution of low-emission rolling stock. The concept is frequently mentioned alongside other hydrogen train projects in Europe, indicating that the UK is one of several markets exploring this option.

Observers suggest that hybrid trains combining hydrogen fuel cells with batteries could be particularly relevant for regional and rural routes with moderate passenger volumes and limited prospects for full electrification. In such cases, a self-powered unit with zero exhaust emissions could offer a transition path away from diesel while maintaining service frequencies and journey times.

As rail operators and authorities assess long-term fleet strategies, the experience gained from Arcola Energy’s assistance to Vivarail in developing a hydrogen and battery hybrid train is likely to inform broader decisions about how hydrogen fits into the future energy mix for rail. The project contributes technical data, operational insights and a tangible example of how legacy rolling stock can be repurposed for low-carbon service.