The electrocatalytic activity of low-alloy chrome-molybdenum-vanadium 12Cr1MoV steel and nickel-vanadium alloy coating for the hydrogen evolution reaction has been investigated. Nickel-vanadium alloy coating is electrodeposited from a nickel-sulfate electrolyte containing 0.1–0.3 g∙dm−3 vanadium (in terms of metal). The resulting coating contains 0.25–0.45 % vanadium. It is established that the overpotential of hydrogen evolution reaction on the cathode made of 12Cr1MoV steel and Ni-V coating is 0.05–0.1 V lower, and the exchange current value is higher than the overpotential on the qualitative steel St.20 electrode. This indicates the electrocatalytic activity of the studied materials in the hydrogen evolution reaction. Electrodes made of 12Cr1MoV steel and St.20 with Ni-V coating can be recommended as cathodes for the electrochemical hydrogen production, which will reduce the energy consumption of this process by 15 %.© 2019 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.Selection and peer-review under responsibility of the scientific committee of 4th ISE Satellite Student Regional Symposium on Electrochemistry in Ukraine.