With the ozone depleting, pollution increasing, and ecosystems dying, it’s safe to say these are worrisome times. Electrification seems like a go-to solution for all this, and many two-wheeler giants plan to go all-electric in the next decade. However, even though it might seem like it, electric motorcycles are NOT entirely pollution-free, and they’re certainly not too popular among hardcore enthusiasts like us. So, taking a different approach on the matter, Kawasaki recently debuted an interesting hydrogen-powered motorcycle that could end your EV woes, but keep all the key aspects we love about motorcycles—even the exhaust note!
Kawasaki Has A Hydrogen-Powered Motorcycle In The Works
Late last year, Kawasaki made big strides in its carbon-neutrality objective. It announced two all-electric motorcycles, a hybrid EV (both based on its 400cc lineup), and most importantly, a unique hydrogen-powered sport bike concept. Focusing on the latter, the hydrogen motorcycle is a collaborative effort between Kawasaki and fellow Japanese automaker Toyota to promote hydrogen as a viable future fuel. For reference, Toyota has been in the hydrogen business for nearly a decade and is currently the pioneer in this field.
Accordingly, the Kawasaki hydrogen motorcycle is powered by a four-cylinder engine. But unlike liquid gasoline, it uses compressed hydrogen gas for internal combustion. Other aspects of the motorcycle, meanwhile, take inspiration from Kawasaki’s supercharged Ninja H2 platform, backed by the bright blue supercharger visible in the photos of the engine. There’s no word on the performance, though, but a supercharger is usually a sign that they are moving in the right direction.
Here’s How It Will End The EV Woes
The biggest concern about electric motorcycles is the long charging times once you run out of range. These times vary between two and four hours on average, which is more than just a lunch break when you’re on a cross-country road trip. Plus, highway speeds only lower the range, meaning even more charging stops.
Kawasaki’s hydrogen engine solves this problem big time. Since it runs on fuel (hydrogen in this case), the motorcycle’s tank can be topped up in minutes just like your gasoline-powered motorcycle. The only catch is the availability of hydrogen, which we hope Kawasaki and Toyota figure out by the time the hydrogen-powered H2 comes out. Bonus points if the two giants figure out how to run the motorcycle on simple water. In addition, the engine will also produce a raspy exhaust note, considering the key elements are identical to a traditional ICE engine.
A Hydrogen-Powered Motorcycle Is Still Far Away
As exciting as it seems, this project is still in its nascent stages. Kawasaki is nowhere near done with traditional gasoline motorcycles, and it aims to unravel 30 such motorcycles by 2025. Once done, we think Kawasaki will then draw focus toward electric vehicles and hybrids, followed by full-blown production-ready hydrogen motorcycles.