Japan gives Mazda the green signal
[2008-12-23 17:06:35]
Hiroshima, Japan
Published on July 3, 2008
Auto-maker receives government approval for road testing of the revolutionary Premacy Hydrogen RE hybrid minivan
Mazda Motor has received permission from Japan's Land, Infrastructure and Transport Ministry to test the Mazda Premacy Hydrogen RE hybrid minivan on public roads.
A company release said Mazda's newest hydrogen rotary-engine vehicle featured a hybrid system that increased the vehicle's power 40 per cent and doubled the hydrogen-fuel range to 200 kilometres, about twice as far as the previously released RX-8 Hydrogen RE.
The company plans to complete the road trials and start commercial leasing in Japan this fiscal year.
The Mazda Premacy is the world's first hydrogen hybrid car, with a dual-fuel system that enables the car to run on either hydrogen or petrol.
Separately, Mazda has also said it will display and demonstrate its hydrogen rotary vehicles at the G-8 Hokkaido Toyako Summit this month in Japan.
The Premacy hybrid will debut alongside the RX-8 Hydrogen RE at the summit's Environmental Showcase.
The Environmental Showcase is an exhibition and demonstration of Japan's latest environmental and energy-saving technologies that will be held at the International Media Centre for journalists covering the summit.
Akihiro Kashiwagi, Mazda's programme manager in charge of the Hydrogen RE's development, said: "We are committed to improving the performance of our hydrogen rotary engine vehicles to help promote a more ecofriendly place for the automobile in society. Getting permission from the transportation authorities in Japan to begin public road testing of the Premacy Hydrogen RE Hybrid in time for the Hokkaido Toyako Summit is extremely significant, because the eyes of the world will be focused on Japan's environmental technologies. Going forward, we will continue to advance our development programme and strive to start commercial leasing during this fiscal year."
Like the Mazda RX-8 Hydrogen RE, which became the world's first commercially available hydrogen rotary-engine vehicle in 2006, the Premacy hybrid incorporates a dual-fuel system that allows the driver to select either hydrogen or petrol at the push of a button.
The Premacy Hydrogen RE Hybrid also features a hybrid system that combines an electric motor with Mazda's hydrogen rotary engine to achieve a significantly enhanced performance.
Mazda's other environmental technologies showcased on the vehicle include "biotech materials". Used for some of the vehicle's interior plastic parts and seat covers, these plant-derived materials contribute to reduced carbon dioxide emissions.
At a glance
Length: 4,595mm
Width: 1,745mm
Height: 1,620mm
Engine: Mazda hydrogen-rotary engine, with dual-fuel system
Motor: Alternating-current
synchronous motor
Max output: 110kW
Generator: Alternating-current synchronous generator
Battery: Lithium ion
Seating capacity: Five
Fuel: Hydrogen and petrol
Hydrogen tank: 35MPa high-pressure tank
History of Mazda's hydrogen-vehicle development
-- 1991: Develops first hydrogen rotary-engine vehicle, the HR-X.
-- 1992: Conducts test drive of golf cart equipped with fuel cell.
-- 1993: Develops second hydrogen rotary-engine vehicle, the HR-X2.
Develops MX-5 test vehicle equipped with hydrogen rotary engine.
-- 1995: Conducts Japan's first public road tests of a hydrogen rotary-engine vehicle, the Capella Cargo.
-- 1997: Develops the Demio FC-EV.
-- 2001: Develops the Premacy FC-EV. Conducted first public test in Japan (methanol-reforming fuel-cell system).
-- 2003: Announces RX-8 hydrogen rotary-engine development.
-- 2004: Receives Land, Infrastructure and Transport Ministry (LITM) approval for public road testing of the RX-8 Hydrogen RE.
-- 2006: Starts commercial leasing of the RX-8 Hydrogen RE in Japan.
-- 2007: Signs agreement to provide 30 RX-8 Hydrogen REs to Hynor, a Norwegian national project.
-- 2008: Receives LITM approval for public road testing of the Premacy Hydrogen RE Hybrid.
