Kawasaki Reportedly Developing Hydrogen Technology For Engines

Kawasaki reportedly has Hydrogen powered engine technology under development. The manufacturer has filed trademark applications for the title ‘HySE’. HySE was trademarked in Europe for use on “Non-electric prime movers for land vehicles.” This could be a manufacturer of Hydrogen powered vehicle equipment for land vehicles. The manufacturer had revealed a prototype earlier that was based on the supercharged four-cylinder engine from the H2. 

HySE logo

The illustrations revealed by the manufacturer last year revealed what looked like plans for a tourer style motorcycle with 5 tubular cannisters on each side case to carry Hydrogen. What this means is no luggage space as Hydrogen takes up far more space than Gasoline normally would. One gallon of liquid hydrogen (which would need to be cryogenically cooled to below -400 degrees Fahrenheit) weighs around 0.6 pound, compared to 6 pounds for a gallon of gasoline. This means that you need a much higher amount of Hydrogen to create the same amount of energy as Gasoline. The manufacturer also showcased Direct-injection tech that adds hydrogen to the cylinder after the inlet valves have closed.

The plans earlier revealed by Kawasaki had 5 tubular cannisters on each side case to carry Hydrogen

Kawasaki had reportedly partnered with Toyota, Subaru, and Mazda for the development of hydrogen-fueled combustion engine tech. Hence, its Hydrogen storage system looks very similar to a swappable cannister model showcased by Toyota a while back. This presents a very efficient system where empty cannisters would just have to be swapped for full ones while refueling. But this would also mean the creation of an entire set of infrastructure from scratch that would cater to Hydrogen-powered engines. 

Hydrogen powered combustion engine showcased by Kawasaki earlier based on the engine from the H2

When Kawasaki will officially integrate this bit of tech into their motorcycles is unknown. But considering that they still have a lot of things to perfect, it could be a while before they are properly implemented on everyday vehicles. But it is comforting to know that manufacturers like Kawasaki are working on alternative powertrains that will have a lesser Carbon footprint on the environment.

Source: Cycleworld