Mazda Japan has started publicroad tests of the Mazda Premacy Hydrogen RE Hybrid, after only recently getting approval from Japans Ministry of Land Infrastructure and Transport (MLIT). After road tests are finished, Mazda plans to start commercial leasing of the hydrogen-powered hybrid MPV in Japan by the end of the 2008 financial year.
The Mazda Premacy Hydrogen RE Hybrid is powered by a Mazda Hydrogen Rotary engine that can run on either petrol or hydrogen, switchable via the push of a button. The hybrid rotary powertrain can produce 147 horsepower, about 40% more than the version of the engine in the Mazda RX-8 Hydrogen RE. Driving using only hydrogen stored in the on-board 35 MPa high-pressure tank achieves a maximum range of 200km.
View images of the Premacy Hydrogen RE after the jump.
After dabbling for years in the IT industry, Paul Tan initially began this site as a general blog covering various topics of personal interest. With an increasing number of readers paying rapt attention to the motoring stories, one thing led to another and the rest, as they say, is history. An avid electronic gadget aficionado as well as big-time coffee lover, he's also the executive producer of the Driven motoring TV programme.
RE=Resident Engineer? This one to fight against FCX Clarity.
Maybe RE = Rotary Engine or Renesis Engine? Most likely actually, LOL
I think it is rotary engine. States there “Mazda Hydrogen Rotary engine”. A MPV hydrogen vehicle is good, but no hydrogen pumps is something too
RE means rotary engine i guess as they did write ” Hydrogen Rotary engine”
Good research, but it will not work in M’sia as we do not have any Hydrogen station here.
Paul does other automaker have to pay to toyota for the hybrid tech?
This is the second model powered by Renesis Hydrogen rotary engine, first one is RX-8, and some of the government dept in Japan using it daily.
Zoom Zoom…
Don’t think any car manufacturers need to pay Toyota for their own hybrid tech… I believe they are using their own propriety technology. In addition, the Hydrogen RE is a hydrogen and electric hybrid… not petrol
Be it petrol or hydrogen, they work the same way.
Don’t think toyota own the hybrid technology. You add a vacum cleaner moto and a couple of car batteries on your car, you got hybrid technology.
ok..I got it mazda premacy renesis re " in Japan by the end of the 2008 financial year" but where is the rest of the world?