The presentation of Team Green’s HySE (official project name of the hydrogen-powered motorcycle) took place at a press conference held by Kawasaki Heavy Industries (the parent company of Kawasaki Motors). By presentation, we mean Team Green has shown the first-ever prototype of its hydrogen sports bike in the flesh.
The motorcycle looks quite different from the renders shown last year. All the green has made way for a blue, which makes sure even pea-brained folks know what this runs on. The bodywork is also a lot different, as it now features humongous plastics from head to toe. Another unique element is the H-shaped LED headlight–quite different from the dual-pod unit seen on the CG images.
The real party trick, though, is under the skin. The HySE boasts a 999cc, supercharged, inline-four engine, derived from the Ninja H2 SX. But unlike the gas-powered beast, this one runs on hydrogen and employs direct injection. There aren’t any horsepower or torque figures to get you pumped as of now, but we have every reason to aim for some serious numbers. After all, the H2 SX is good for 197 horsepower and 101 pound-feet.
Where is the hydrogen stored, you ask? Well, in those gigantic side pods at the rear. These are anything but subtle and point out one of the key concerns with hydrogen, i.e. storage. That’s because the efficiency of hydrogen is said to be almost a third of gasoline. So if you travel 15 miles in one liter of gas, the natural element will take you just five in the same capacity. This means you need massive amounts to go a decent distance, in turn, meaning vast storage space.
So when will you see the HySE on public roads? Well, that remains unclear as of now. However, according to Team Green, the real-world testing of its motorcycle will begin in early 2024. Also part of the company’s plan is to commercialize hydrogen-powered two-wheeled vehicles in the early 2030s.
According to topspeed.com
