PESA Bydgoszcz has secured over EUR 8.4m (PLN 36m) in funding from Poland’s National Recovery and Resilience Plan (KPO) to develop the country’s first hydrogen-powered passenger vehicle. The total value of the project exceeds EUR 25m (PLN 108m).
The funding agreement was signed by the National Fund for Environmental Protection and Water Management (NFOŚiGW) and PESA under the “Hydrogenisation of the Economy” priority programme.
The vehicle, designated HEMU (Hydrogen Electric Multiple Unit), will be equipped with three power sources: 3 kV DC supply from the overhead contact line via pantograph, hydrogen fuel cells, and onboard batteries. A control system developed by PESA will manage the energy sources, reducing hydrogen consumption on electrified sections.
Under the project, PESA will prepare technical documentation and build a demonstration vehicle designed to meet railway market and safety requirements related to hydrogen operation.
According to the Ministry of Infrastructure, around 40% of Poland’s railway network remains non-electrified, creating potential demand for zero-emission rolling stock capable of operating beyond electrified corridors.
The agreement follows a separate grant signed in September 2025 between NFOŚiGW and PESA to co-finance construction of hydrogen locomotive production facilities in Bydgoszcz. The investment includes more than 15,000 m² of production infrastructure.
During the project period, PESA plans to produce and sell 25 hydrogen shunting locomotives. The manufacturer states that their operation would reduce CO₂ emissions by more than 7,600 tonnes compared with diesel traction.
PESA Bydgoszcz is majority-owned by the Polish Development Fund Group, which holds more than 99% of the company’s shares.
