Hydrogen is a divisive element in the world of transport, because no one has yet worked out, definitively, if it’s actually a viable solution to ‘green energy’.
In Japan, the manufacturers are generally on the positive side of the hydrogen ‘debate’, at least to the extent of ‘let’s see’. Yamaha, Honda, Kawasaki, and Suzuki are so keen to see that they collaborated on the HySE (Hydrogen Small mobility & Engine technology) project, which has so far sent a buggy to the Dakar Rally and a colossal prototype to a Kawasaki conference.
Hydrogen powered buggy developed by the HySE group for the 2024 Dakar Rally.
Yamaha hasn’t yet created a hydrogen-powered motorcycle, but it has developed hydrogen engines, having worked on the V8 that powered a Toyota Corolla at the Fuji 24 Hour race.
It’s also now developed its own hydrogen outboard motor for its marine division that it’s billed as “the world’s first hydrogen-powered outboard for recreational boats”.
Ben Speciale, President of Yamaha U.S. Marine Business Unit, said: “Yamaha is exploring all possibilities to achieve carbon neutrality, and we’ve made commitments for our operations to be carbon neutral by 2035 and our products to become carbon neutral by 2050. That goal within the marine market can only be reached through an approach that leverages multiple solutions. We believe hydrogen is a viable method of achieving these goals.”
Currently, Yamaha’s ‘green’ offering in the motorcycle world is limited to the Yamaha NEO’s electric scooter, the E01 electric scooter, and the Booster pedelec, and it is also developing an electric trials bike.
Suzuki presented a hydrogen-powered prototype version of its Burgman scooter at last year’s Japan Mobility Show, and Kawasaki showed (as mentioned above) a hydrogen prototype motorcycle at one of its conferences late last year. A hydrogen powered Yamaha motorcycle is not yet even rumoured, but it continues to show its interest in using hydrogen as an alternative to battery electrics in the transition away from fossil fuels.
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