Kawasaki Demonstrates Hydrogen Superbike
By Ben Purvis
The world's first high-performance motorcycle with a combustion engine fueled by hydrogen was demonstrated in advance of the Suzuka 8-Hour endurance race in July when Kawasaki allowed its prototype supercharged machine to lap the circuit.
Hydrogen might have some significant drawbacks as a potential power source for motorcycles, but in Japan the HySE research project, which involves all four major motorcycle manufacturers as well as Toyota and Kawasaki, has been charged with the task of developing engines capable of running on hydrogen as part of the effort. The company has previously shown prototype engines and sketches of a motorcycle built to house it, but this is the first time the bike has been seen in action by the public.
The downside of hydrogen as a fuel is immediately apparent. The bike looks like a large tourer with huge side cases, but it's really a single-seater with minimal luggage space. Those panniers are packed with cylinders that carry the hydrogen, compressed to around 700 bar (10,000 psi), and even so the prototype's range is believed to be significantly less than a conventional petrol-powered machine would manage on a normal tank of fuel.
"supercharged four-cylinder was run at Suzuka"
But fuel systems and storage aren't Kawasaki's role in the HySE project, and it's clear that its part of the deal - to create a combustion engine that will run on hydrogen - is largely complete.
According to Kawasaki, the prototype's chassis has been designed specifically to make space for all the hydrogen tanks, but the engine is derived from the existing 998 cc, supercharged H2 motor.
Forced induction is a key element to getting good performance from a hydrogen combustion engine, helping to get as much air as possible into the cylinders. It's paired with direct fuel injection that adds the hydrogen to the combustion chambers after the inlet valves have closed.
Although the prototype is running and Kawasaki reports that hydrogen actually provides improved responsiveness compared to petrol, it's still a long way from production. The company believes that it might become "one carbon-neutral option for riders in the early 2030s".