Hypermotive will work with VanguardSTS to deploy its Hypercore® control technologies on the HydroShunter and other hydrogen rail programmes. It will help accelerate the route to certified and approved hydrogen rail vehicles for use in the UK and internationally. Built upon pre-validated, safe, secure hardware and software residing within flexible, modular platforms, Hypercore® provides a rapid route to system integration of hydrogen technologies.

VanguardSTS, originating from a team of rail R&D experts at the Birmingham Centre for Rail Research Excellence (BCRRE), part of the University of Birmingham, have capitalised on great knowledge of the rail sector and the application of hydrogen power systems within this. Amongst other projects, the VanguardSTS team developed the original HydroFLEX demonstrator with Porterbrook Leasing.

Hypermotive have been integrating hydrogen fuel cell systems across multiple sectors since 2016, including the UK’s first mainline certified fuel cell train, the HydroFLEX 2.0.

The transition from incumbent propulsion technologies to clean, electrified and hydrogen power systems can be complex and challenging, particularly in highly regulated, specialised and niche areas of mobility and power. Building on a mix of Hypermotive’s standard products such as Hypercore® and configurable, flexible platforms coupled with established UK-based advanced manufacturing of electrical system integration hardware, all facets of this transition can be made simple for VanguardSTS’s customers. In a sector where safety, reliability and maintainability are paramount, the collaboration between VanguardSTS and Hypermotive is one that stands to propel hydrogen propulsion solutions into mainstream adoption.