Rail passengers in northern Germany will be able to travel on the world's first hydrogen-powered trains in four years' time.

French engineering giant Alstom has signed an agreement to deliver 14 fuel-cell trains to LNVG, a rail company in Germany's Lower Saxony state.

The trains will begin operating on routes between Cuxhaven, Bremerhaven, Bremervoerde and Buxtehude from December 2021.

Alstom said that the Coradia iLint trains will have a range of up to 1,000 kilometres and a maximum speed of 140kph.

Hydrogen engines emit only water vapour and are considered one of the cleanest forms of transport. The trains will replace diesel trains on non-electrified tracks.

There are plans to produce the hydrogen using electricity from Lower Saxony's many wind turbines.

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