Indian Railways has successfully tested its first hydrogen-powered coach—also referred to as a driving power car, at the Integral Coach Factory (ICF) in Chennai, marking a major step toward the country's first hydrogen-fuelled train.

The project is part of the Railways’ broader strategy to cut greenhouse gas emissions and transition to cleaner, renewable energy sources. Undertaken by the Northern Railway zone, the Rs 136 crore initiative began in 2020–21 and includes two major components: converting two 1,600 HP diesel power cars into hydrogen fuel cell-powered units, and establishing a hydrogen storage and fuelling station at Jind, Haryana. The station will have a 3,000 kg hydrogen storage capacity.

Testing is now in its final stages, with hydrogen fuel technology—a relatively new and complex field, undergoing validation by the Research Design & Standards Organisation (RDSO). The project will retrofit diesel-electric multiple units (DEMUs) into a 10-coach hydrogen-powered train capable of carrying over 2,600 passengers. Once operational, the hydrogen train will run between Jind and Sonepat stations in Haryana, covering two daily round-trips spanning 356 km. Each retrofitted power car will store 220 kg of hydrogen in high-pressure cylinders, requiring rigorous safety testing due to hydrogen’s flammability.