Suzuki Showcases Burgman Hydrogen Fuel Cell Powered Scooter
At the tail-end of last week’s Tokyo Motor Show Suzuki unveiled an exciting e-scooter concept, the Burgman, powered by a combination of hydrogen fuel cells and a li-ion battery.
Suzuki says that the innovative powertrain would enable the Burgman to reach distances of up to 220 miles at an average speed of 30kph (20mph) - so no wild freeway jaunts just yet then.
However, the company also reckon that performance will be comparable to a standard 125cc scooter (but I’d imagine that riding at higher speeds would most likely significantly reduce range).
- » See also: Copenhagen Opens First Hydrogen Fueling Station, Unveils Fleet of Fuel Cell Cars
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The grunt, (if you can call it that at such low speeds), is provided by an air-cooled hydrogen fuel cell, developed by British company Intelligent Energy, alongside a 500Wh lithium-ion battery capable of storing energy created by the Burgman’s regenerative braking system.
The hydrogen itself is stored in a compact tank at a pressure just over 10,000psi (68.95MPa/689.5 bar).
As yet, Suzuki hasn’t announced any plans to produce the Burgman on a commercial scale. However, with recent announcements of similar machines from Japanese rivals, like the Yamaha HV-X Hybrid and the Honda EV-Cub, it seems that the sector is set to heat up over the next few years.
Image Credit - RegHardware
I wonder if there is a market for a vehicle that can’t outrun the local mean dog?
It would need a better top speed and range before it becomes appealing to consumers.
Since a 50 cc scooter can top 35 MPH, I find it hard to believe that this Suzuki, which Suzuki claims to have performance comparable to a 1225 cc scooter can not outrun the average local mean dog. I suspect that the 20 MPH speed was the best speed for the economy run; this would be much like the Ford Fusion that went 1441 miles on a single tank of gas.