French Company Releases World’s First Hydrogen-Fueled Train

January 11, 2017

Unlocking Word Meanings
今日の単語・フレーズ

Read the following words/expressions found in today’s article. 

1. railway / ˈreɪlˌweɪ / (n.) – a track of metal rails on which the wheels of a train may run
Example: The president approved the railway extension project to extend the train’s services.

2. manufacturer / ˌmæn yəˈfæk tʃər ər / (n.) – a person or company that makes or produces something
Example: The manufacturer delivered the goods on time.

3. acceleration / ækˌsɛl əˈreɪ ʃən / (n.) – increase of speed
Example: The car’s acceleration was less when it climbed up the slope.

4. outskirt / ˈaʊtˌskɜrt / (n.) – the outlying district or region
Example: She was raised by her grandmother on the outskirts of Los Angeles.

5. collaborate / kəˈlæb əˌreɪt / (v.) – to work together
Example: Three companies collaborated in designing the new car model.

Article
ニュース記事

Read the text below.
French multinational company Alstom will launch the first ever passenger rail service powered by hydrogen.

The railway vehicle manufacturer revealed the new hydrogen-powered train, called the Coradia iLint [kuh-REY-dee-uh AHY-lint], at a trade show in Berlin. It features a motor powered by hydrogen gas. The train also has lithium-ion batteries that store excess energy, which is used to boost the train’s acceleration.

According to Alstom, the train can reach speeds of up to 87 miles per hour. It also has the capacity to store hydrogen that can power a 497-mile journey. Moreover, because the train does not use diesel for fuel, it runs quietly and emits only clean steam.

Coradia iLint will be opened to the public in December 2017. It will link a city located at the outskirts of Hamburg to a beach town in northwestern Germany, covering a distance of 60 miles. The train will use hydrogen that was produced as a by-product of local chemical plants.

The concept of hydrogen-fueled vehicles has been gaining a lot of popularity in the past few years. Many governments, private industries, and academic institutions have been collaborating to develop and produce them. In 2014, automotive manufacturer Toyota unveiled the Toyota Mirai, which is one of the first hydrogen-fueled cars to be commercially available. The model won the 2016 World Green Car of the Year Award for its environment-friendly features.


Viewpoint Discussion
ディスカッションテーマ

Enjoy a discussion with your tutor.  

Discussion A

·         Do you think that your country will invest in this kind of train? Why or why not?
·         In addition to its environment-friendly fuel, what other features would you like the train to have? Discuss.

Discussion B

·         What is the importance of developing alternative energy sources for trains?
·         What do you think is the future of the railway industry?

January 11, 2017