We've known that Yamaha is keen to experiment with hydrogen as an alternative fuel for several years. In January 2022, Team Blue announced plans to work with Kawasaki on hydrogen engine development. Then, a month later, we learned of plans to work on a 5-liter V8 hydrogen engine with Toyota.
By July 2023, Yamaha president Yoshihiro Hidaka reiterated the company's commitment to exploring hydrogen development as a viable alternative fuel source. And of course, with the 2024 Dakar Rally very recently in the history books, we can't forget about the HySE experimental rally vehicle that Yamaha (along with Honda, Kawasaki, Suzuki, and Toyota) had a part in building.
Fast-forward to January 25, 2024, and Yamaha has now officially introduced its first-ever hydrogen-powered concept vehicle. At the 2024 Professional Golfers' Association (PGA) Show in Florida, the firm showed off the Drive H2 concept.
It uses two high-pressure hydrogen tanks to run, which hold 25 liters of fuel each. The most visible tank is positioned at the rear of the vehicle, while the other tank sits under the driver's seat. It's based on the already-existing Drive2 Concierge 4 personal golf car, which is sold by the Yamaha Motor Corporation subsidiary, Yamaha Golf-Car Company.
Of course, any hydrogen vehicle development in any space will depend on having the available infrastructure to support it. That's something that people interested in electric vehicles of any kind have also experienced in recent years.
What About Hydrogen-Powered Motorcycles?
While Yamaha has expressed interest in exploring the possibilities of hydrogen power for more vehicles than just low-speed golf cars (or golf carts), so far, it seems that Kawasaki and Suzuki are the only two companies to have introduced hydrogen-powered two-wheeled concepts so far.
Bear in mind that it's only January, though. There are still 11 more months left to go in the year, and a whole lot can change in relatively little time. As and when more information about future vehicle developments becomes clear, we'll be sure to keep you updated.
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