Honda brings Fuel Cell Hybrid engines to two-wheelers

[Bob]

Honda Motor Co. said it has built scooters powered by fuel cells and gasoline-electric engines, extending the technology for the first time to two-wheeled vehicles.

Scooters with fuel cell-power plant the size of a normal 125 cubic centimetre gasoline engine as well as a so-called hybrid two-wheeler with a 50cc engine have been developed, according to Honda President Takeo Fukui.

Fuel cells, used for decades in spacecraft, produce only steam or water as a bi-product of generating electricity. High costs and a lack of hydrogen fuelling stations have limited the technology to small test programs to date.

[FROSTY:Me]

We have one of thos toyota Pryos things next door.1500cc toyota engine with an electric motor. Super economical.
mind you the batteries are $7000 a set and last only 6-7 years

[toads]

this is a fascinating concept, I am totally in favour of the fuel cell concept, if and when the idea takes hold worldwide, we could all be running our vehicles on water for the most part, but the downside is the cost of purchasing the vehicle in the first place, and the battery replacement cost as frosty says, I tend to think that when the numbers manufactured increase they will be far more affordable, bring it on I say

[vifferman]

I read (but my electronicky son debunked it) that hybrid vehicles were a concern for emergency workers because of potentially having to cut through wiring harnesses etc. when rescuing trapped noonahs (you know - people like me that habitually crash...)

[sAsLEX]

this is a fascinating concept, I am totally in favour of the fuel cell concept, if and when the idea takes hold worldwide, we could all be running our vehicles on water for the most part, but the downside is the cost of purchasing the vehicle in the first place, and the battery replacement cost as frosty says, I tend to think that when the numbers manufactured increase they will be far more affordable, bring it on I say

dont think true fuel cells use batteries but convert hydrogen to water to create the power