India Successfully Tests First Hydrogen Train Coach, Paving Way For Greener Railways
India Successfully Tests First Hydrogen Train Coach, Paving Way For Greener Railways
Chennai, July 25, 2025: India has taken a major stride towards sustainable transportation by successfully testing its first hydrogen-powered train coach at the Integral Coach Factory (ICF) in Chennai. The development was confirmed by Union Railway Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw, who shared a video of the trial run on social media, calling it a landmark moment for the nation’s railway innovation.
The tested coach, called the Driving Power Car, is a part of India’s ambitious project to build a 1,200 horsepower hydrogen-powered train. This breakthrough places India among a select group of countries actively adopting hydrogen-based rail transport technology.
Watch Video Here:
First Hydrogen powered coach (Driving Power Car) successfully tested at ICF, Chennai.
— Ashwini Vaishnaw (@AshwiniVaishnaw) July 25, 2025
India is developing 1,200 HP Hydrogen train. This will place India among the leaders in Hydrogen powered train technology. pic.twitter.com/2tDClkGBx0
“First Hydrogen-powered coach (Driving Power Car) successfully tested at ICF, Chennai. India is developing a 1,200 HP Hydrogen train. This will place India among the leaders in hydrogen-powered train technology,” Vaishnaw posted on X (formerly Twitter).
This innovation underscores the government’s commitment to sustainable mobility and green energy solutions. The hydrogen coach is a significant step in reducing the carbon footprint of the Indian Railways, one of the world’s largest rail networks.
Under the “Hydrogen for Heritage” initiative announced in 2023, Indian Railways plans to operate 35 hydrogen-powered trains on heritage and hill routes. Each train is estimated to cost ₹80 crore, with an additional ₹70 crore per route for infrastructure development. A ₹111.83 crore pilot project is already underway to retrofit a Diesel Electric Multiple Unit (DEMU) with hydrogen fuel cells for operations on the Jind–Sonipat section in Haryana.
While the operational costs of hydrogen trains are currently high, they are expected to decline over time as the technology matures. The initiative is a critical part of India’s broader goal to achieve zero carbon emissions and transition to clean, future-ready transport systems.
