Most of us will live long enough to see fuel cell technology achieve fruition in a BIG enough motorcycle to tour with.
The Burgman Fuel-Cell Scooter has become the world’s first fuel-cell vehicle to earn Whole Vehicle Type Approval in the European Union.
The Burgman Fuel-Cell Scooter debuted at the 41st Tokyo Motor Show in October 2009. Since February 2010, Suzuki and British company Intelligent Energy, which developed the Burgman Fuel-Cell Scooter’s fuel-cell system, have been jointly participating in trials of the scooter on public roads under the aegis of the British government’s Technology Strategy Board. The trials are being conducted in the area surrounding Loughborough University in central England using a single Burgman Fuel-Cell Scooter unit. Multiple units are due to be added. It was initially necessary to obtain Single Vehicle Approval for each Burgman Fuel-Cell Scooter unit to be used in the trials.
The Burgman Fuel-Cell Scooter is based on Suzuki’s city-friendly Burgman. It incorporates a light, compact, air-cooled fuel cell and a hydrogen tank that’s positioned inside the frame. Electricity produced by the fuel cell powers a motor for propulsion; the only emission is water. Suzuki is working toward commercializing the Burgman Fuel-Cell Scooter as a motorcycle with superior environmental performance.
Suzuki aims to make eco-friendly fuel-cell scooters increasingly common in Europe in line with the establishment of hydrogen filling stations and other necessary infrastructure.
What is fuel-cell?
Fuel cell is an eco-friendly technology, efficiently producing electricity through a reaction between hydrogen and oxygen in the air, and discharging only water in the process. Hydrogen can be extracted from byproduct hydrogen, electrolysis of water, or fossil and biomass fuels; making possible a low CO2 emission society.
The fuel-cell vehicle is the ultimate in eco-friendliness aiming for a sustainable mobility. Fuel-cell vehicles benefit from a wide variety of sources for their energy needs, they significantly contribute to the reduction of CO2 emissions and have an adequate riding range.
Read more about the Suzuki Burgman Fuel-Cell Scooter:
http://www.globalsuzuki.com/Burgman_Fuel-Cell_Scooter/index.html
