China’s first independently developed hydrogen-powered urban train completed its performance test on Thursday, marking a breakthrough in the application of hydrogen energy in rail transit.

The train, developed by CRRC Changchun Railway Vehicles Co., Ltd. in Changchun, northeast China’s Jilin Province, achieved full-system, full-scenario and multi-level performance verification.

Unlike traditional trains that rely on fossil fuels or catenary systems for their power supply, this uses a built-in hydrogen power system, which can provide a strong and long-lasting power source.

Test data also shows that the average energy consumption of the train is 5 kilowatt-hours per kilometer, which is on par with world leading levels.