OPmobility, through its PO-Rein1 joint-venture, has won a contract from the world's leading rail manufacturer China Railway Rolling Stock Corp. (CRRC) MRT Holding Group, to supply type 42 high-pressure H₂ storage systems. The new contract means OPmobility is the first automotive supplier to market this technology for mobility applications in China.

OPmobility, Shenergy Group (China's state-owned energy company) and CRRC MRT Holding Group are also forging a close, long-term partnership to develop H₂ mobility solutions. OPmobility will supply 76 type 4 high-pressure storage systems (each system comprises four 175-liter H₂ vessels), a market benchmark in terms of quality and performance. They will be delivered and put into service from the end of 2024.

The systems will equip the latest generation of smart trams providing public transport in the city of Kuching, in Malaysia. The trams are fully autonomous and require no dedicated infrastructure: they mainly operate by following track markings on the road surface. H₂ is an ideal solution for this disruptive technology. Refueled in just 10 minutes, the trams can travel 245 km and reach speeds of 70 km/hr. Each tram can carry more than 300 passengers.

In addition to this contract, OPmobility, Shenergy Group and CRRC MRT Holding Group have signed a memorandum of understanding to work together on developing high-end H₂ storage systems for the rail market. As part of this collaboration, the three companies will combine their complementary skills and expertise and apply them to the technical and commercial development of on-board H₂ storage solutions.

Laurent Favre, Chief Executive Officer of OPmobility said, “We are proud to sign our first contract with CRRC, the Chinese rail giant. By equipping a highly innovative and sustainable mode of urban transport, OPmobility is confirming its position as a technology partner for all mobility players. On top of this contract, the three-way partnership between OPmobility, the leader in H₂ storage, CRRC, the Chinese rail giant, and Shenergy, a major energy player in China, is a crucial step towards the creation of a robust and innovative H₂ rail value chain. The emergence of a H₂ ecosystem is crucial to meeting the challenges of low-carbon mobility.”

OPmobility has been supporting the growth of the Chinese H₂ mobility market since June 2023 through its PO-Rein joint-venture. OPmobility is a major player in H₂ mobility, with an order book of nearly €4 B, a presence across the entire value chain and manufacturing capacity in China, Europe, the United States and South Korea.