Hybari, the first hydrogen hybrid train in Japan, is shown to the media on Feb. 28. (Tetsuro Takehana)

Photo/Illutration Hybari, the first hydrogen hybrid train in Japan, at JR Tsurumi Station in Yokohama on Feb. 28 (Tetsuro Takehana)

A test run of Japan’s first hydrogen hybrid train called Hybari was shown to the media on the JR Tsurumi Line in Kanagawa Prefecture on Feb. 28.

The train, which runs on electricity generated from hydrogen, is part of East Japan Railway Co. (JR East)’s initiative to decarbonize railroads, with the aim of its commercialization in fiscal 2030.

Hybari is equipped with a fuel cell, which generates electricity by having hydrogen react with oxygen, and storage batteries.

It runs without emitting carbon dioxide.

The hybrid train was jointly developed with Toyota Motor Corp., which markets the Mirai fuel cell vehicle, and Hitachi, which offers storage batteries.

JR East has been conducting test drives of Hybari since March 2022.

On Feb. 28, a test between Tsurumi and Ogimachi stations was shown to the media.

The roof of the two-car Hybari train is equipped with a hydrogen tank with a total capacity of about 1,000 liters instead of pantographs that take in electricity.

A monitor inside the car while the train runs shows in real time whether the motors and lighting were powered by the fuel cell or the battery, depending on acceleration and deceleration.

According to JR East, 23 of the 66 conventional railroad lines in its jurisdiction are non-electrified and have no power lines.

JR East operates diesel trains that run mainly on light oil on these lines.

Hybari is expected to replace these trains.

One remaining challenge is to extend the range of the trains, which are currently limited to 140 kilometers, several times over.

In the area of railcar decarbonization, Central Japan Railway Co. (JR Tokai) is working on developing railcars that use hydrogen engines to power the motors instead of diesel engines.

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