A hydrogen-powered train will be coming to the German state of Bavaria.

The idea for the new hydrogren-powered train for the area has been circulating since a letter of intent for the plan was signed in July 2021. On Tuesday, Siemens Mobility and rail operator Bayerische Regiobahn officially signed a leasing contract to make it happen.

“The hydrogen-powered drive is an emission-free, advanced form of propulsion for trains that decarbonizes rail transport and makes a substantial contribution toward reaching our climate goals,” Albrecht Neumann, rolling stock CEO at Siemens Mobility, said in a statement on Wednesday.

The two-car hydrogen-powered train set of the latest generation will be presented to the public in the spring of 2022. Pilot tests will begin starting mid-2023 on Bayerische Regiobahn routes including one between Augsburg and Füsse. The train is expected to officially start passenger service around January 2024.

The train is a part of a strategy for a “transport turnaround” to become more sustainable. Officials believe this can be done with hydrogen. The International Energy Agency considers hydrogen a “versatile energy carrier.”

“Green hydrogen is becoming a key pillar for comprehensive climate protection in the areas of transportation, industry and energy. As Minister of Economic Affairs and Energy, I am pleased that our Bavarian Hydrogen Strategy can increasingly address concrete issues," Bavaria’s Economic Affairs Minister Hubert Aiwanger said in a statement.

Germany has other hydrogren-powered trains in different areas powered by European railway manufacturer Alstom.