Alstom acquires Cummins fuel cell unit for hydrogen fleet
INDUSTRY: Alstom has acquired the rail hydrogen fuel cell operations of U.S. supplier Cummins to bring maintenance and development of its existing hydrogen train fleets under direct control.
The French manufacturer confirmed the deal on 2 April, saying the acquisition covers engineering, product and support capabilities previously supplied by Cummins for its Coradia iLint trains. No financial terms were disclosed.
Rhein-Main Verkehrsverbund’s iLint fleet in Germany has experienced repeated fuel cell failures since entering service in 2022, at one point forcing 18 of 27 trains out of service for repairs and prompting the reintroduction of diesel units on part of the network.
Existing fleet and contracts the stated priority
Alstom said the acquisition will support reliability and maintenance for its installed hydrogen fleet and allow it to complete development on contracted programmes. Chief Operating Officer Danny Di Perna said in a statement that the company’s approach is “focused and disciplined, with a clear priority on what matters most.”
Whether the acquisition includes Cummins’ fuel cell manufacturing and assembly facility in Herten, Germany — built to produce systems for the iLint programme — has not been confirmed. Alstom has not disclosed financial terms.
Cummins scales back hydrogen activities
Cummins had supplied fuel cells for the iLint programme and has scaled back its hydrogen activities, stopping new commercial work in electrolysers after demand deteriorated sharply.
Alstom said in November 2025 that it was pausing further development of hydrogen trains after French state funding was discontinued, while committing to complete existing orders in France, Germany and Italy. The Cummins acquisition addresses the delivery side of that commitment, bringing fuel cell support and engineering capabilities under Alstom’s direct control.
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