Mazda will launch hydrogen-electric hybrid in 2008

Mazda will unveil a hybrid-electric vehicle in 2008 that can run on hydrogen, according to a report by Japan’s Nikkei financial news service. The confirmation for the vehicle will be made on Thursday.

The future Mazda hybrid will team the company’s rotary engine with an electric motor. The company has been experimenting with hydrogen versions of the engine for the past few years and has a small fleet of prototype models on the roads for real-world tests. In the race for green technologies, Mazda is also preparing a diesel engine for its new Demio subcompact. The engine is bound for Europe.