Mazda Hybrid on Public Road Test
Mazda announced today the Japanese government allowed the manufacturer to start testing its Mazda Premacy Hydrogen RE Hybrid minivan on public roads. The automaker hopes to complete the tests and offer the Mazda5-based hybrid as a commercial lease in the 2008 fiscal year. On hydrogen, the rotary-powered hybrid has a fuel range of 125 miles, while power is increased by 40 percent, now at 147 horsepower.
The Premacy Hydrogen RE Hybrid uses a dual-fuel system, which allows drivers to switch between hydrogen or gasoline power at the push of a button. Mazda claims this is the first hydrogen hybrid that allows such flexibility. The electric motor, meanwhile, gets power from lithium ion batteries, and the advanced powertrain was taken directly from the RX-8 Hydrogen RE, which was the first commercially available hydrogen hybrid when it debuted in 2006.
Both hybrids will be demonstrated at the G8 Hokkaido Toyako Summit in Japan next month. By approving the public road tests, Japan’s Ministry of Land Infrastructure and Transport marked another milestone in Mazda’s long-standing history of hybrid development, dating back to 1991.
To further cement its green image, Mazda will use its Biotechmaterials for interior trim and seating surfaces.
“We are committed to improving the performance of our hydrogen rotary engine vehicles to help promote a more eco-friendly place for the automobile in society,” said Akihiro Kashiwagi, Mazda’s program manager in charge of hydrogen RE development.
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