Mazda launches new hydrogen cars

Governments are often early adopters of new technologies, particularly the environmentally friendly sort, so it comes as no surprise that two hydrogen powered Mazda Premacys have been snapped up by the local councils.

The City of Hiroshima and Hiroshima Prefecture government -- the province where Mazda is headquartered -- have both ordered a Premacy Hydrogen RE Hybrid, which is powered by a hydrogen rotary engine (RE) outputting 110kW.

"As a company proudly rooted in Hiroshima, Mazda is delighted to deliver our hydrogen rotary engine vehicles to the City of Hiroshima and Hiroshima Prefecture, who are already using the RX-8 Hydrogen RE," said Akihiro Kashiwagi, the man in charge of hydrogen RE vehicle development for Mazda.

"We are working hard to keep improving the performance of Mazda's hydrogen-fueled rotary engine vehicles and do our part to help achieve a hydrogen energy-based society in the future."

Hydrogen vehicles produce zero carbon emissions and though the technology is still far too expensive to become mass produced (estimates are that some hydrogen vehicles cost several hundred thousand dollars to build), these vehicles leased to governments deliver vital real-world testing while at the same time creating the hydrogen refueling infrastructure.

Interestingly, the Mazda Premacy Hydrogen RE Hybrid can use hydrogen or gasoline which means it will rarely be caught out with due to refueling issues. Running on pure hydrogen, the Premacy has a range of about 200 kilometres, double that of its predecessor, the RX-8 Hydrogen RE.

History of Mazda's hydrogen vehicle development

1991 - Developed first hydrogen rotary engine vehicle, the HR-X
1992 - Conducted test drive of a golf cart equipped with a fuel cell
1993 - Developed second hydrogen rotary engine vehicle, the HR-X2
         - Developed MX-5 test vehicle equipped with a hydrogen rotary engine
1995 - Conducted Japan's first public road tests of a hydrogen rotary engine vehicle, the Capella Cargo.
1997 - Developed the Demio FC-EV
2001 - Developed the Premacy FC-EV, conducted first public road test in Japan
2003 - Announced RX-8 hydrogen rotary engine development
2004 - Received MLIT approval for public road testing of the RX-8 Hydrogen RE
2006 - Started commercial leasing of the RX-8 Hydrogen RE in Japan (eight units have been delivered to date)
2007 - Signed an agreement to provide RX-8 Hydrogen REs to HyNor, a Norwegian national transportation project
2008 - Commenced public road tests in Norway with a RX-8 Hydrogen RE validation vehicle
2009 - Commenced commercial leasing of the Premacy Hydrogen RE Hybrid in Japan

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