Hydrogen is an alternative fuel whose viability is directly dependent on the amount of money and effort placed behind its development. Electric cars have an inherent advantage as the power grid infrastructure is already in place, but hydrogen requires a whole different kind of transportation and filling station other than the outlet in your garage. But Mazda is still pushing forward with its hydrogen dreams by delivering the first of its Premacy Hydrogen Rotary Engine Hybrids to the Iwatani Corporation.
The Scandanavians are a resourceful lot, and they have to be, having inhabited one of the most inhospitable regions on Earth for centuries. They have given us Vikings, demonically infused death metal, and of course, Nokia. But hydrogen-powered sports cars? Well technically, those are coming from Mazda, in the form of their rotary-powered RX-8 sport coupes. But the first examples of these wunderkin are being shipped off to Norway for field testing, as Norway is the first country to have built an extended hydrogen-based infrastructure to support these cars.
By Tetsuya Yokoyama •
January 5, 2009
I recently had a chance to ride along in a Mazda RX-8 Hydrogen RE at Eco-Products 2008 in Japan — a green event held for three days in Tokyo.
Mazda RX-8 Hydrogen RE and Mercedes-Benz Smart on road.
Several green vehicles were on hand at the event for visitors to take on approximately 10 minute rides. The cars you could pick from were: the Toyota FCHV-adv (fuel cell), the Nissan Clean Diesel X-TRAIL 20GT, the Subaru Plug-in Stella Concept (EV), the Audi Cabriolet A4 S-line 3.0 TDI (Diesel), the Mazda RX-8 Hydrogen RE, the Mitsubishi i MiEV (EV), the Mercedes-Benz Smart, and the Velotaxi.
I chose the Mazda RX-8 Hydrogen RE because I thought sitting in that type of car must be a very rare opportunity. I also wanted an up close real-world experience with a car that uses a rotary engine and can switch back and forth between gasoline and hydrogen fuel.
