General Motors Co. and Wabtec Corp. have signed a nonbinding agreement to build locomotive engines using the automaker’s Ultium electric battery and its Hydrotec hydrogen fuel-cell system, the companies said June 15.
The two companies will jointly develop the clean-powered locomotives for heavy-haul trains, they said in a statement. They didn’t say when the technology would be ready.
For GM, the deal would give the company another way to sell its Ultium battery technology and a means to get its hydrogen fuel-cell system into production. Wabtec would get a zero-emission drivetrain for its locomotives as the company moves on a commitment to have 30% of its train engines powered by eco-efficient technology by 2030.