Mazda unveiled a new kind of hybrid vehicle yesterday that runs on hydrogen fuel powering an electric motor. The Japanese automaker said it will be available for leasing in Japan next year.
The Mazda Premacy Hydrogen RE Hybrid, shown to reporters ahead of its debut at the Tokyo Motor Show later this month, operates on a rotary engine, which has a reputation for being quiet because it doesn't have pistons like standard engines.
The vehicle is powered by energy produced when hydrogen combines with oxygen in the air to emit only clean water. A conventional rotary engine runs on gasoline, but the one in the new hybrid runs on hydrogen stored in a tank, although it can switch to gas when hydrogen runs out.
Like other global automakers, Mazda, an affiliate of Ford Motor Co., has been working on hydrogen vehicles.
Mazda officials said the latest hydrogen hybrid is an improvement over its previous hydrogen vehicle, available since 2006, extending its run on a full tank of hydrogen from 62 miles to 124 miles.
The company said it has no plans to lease the car outside Japan. The new vehicle also has a lithium-ion battery that drives the motor and recharges itself using energy from braking, further conserving on electricity. Mazda refused to say what supplier was providing the battery.
The leasing fee will be similar to the predecessor at about 400,000 yen (£1700) a month, according to Mazda
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