Japanese motorcycle manufacturer Kawasaki has invested a substantial amount of money into electric drivetrains, but it’s not ready to ditch the internal combustion engine. It unveiled a prototype powered by an experimental, hydrogen-burning supercharged four-cylinder engine.
Development work started in 2022, according to enthusiast website Motorcycle, and Kawasaki became the first company to publicly test a hydrogen-burning motorcycle when it showcased its prototype on the Suzuka track in Japan. Power comes from a 998-cubic-centimeter supercharged four-cylinder that’s related to the engine found in the Ninja H2, but it has been modified to burn hydrogen. On paper, this sounds a lot like what Toyota is testing. In contrast, companies like BMW use hydrogen to generate electricity in a hybrid-like drivetrain.
While the experimental Corolla looks a lot like the model sitting on your nearest dealer’s lot, the Kawasaki prototype stands out with a highly futuristic design characterized by sharp curves. It’s more difficult to integrate hydrogen storage tanks in a motorcycle than in a car. In this application, hydrogen is stored in a pair of luggage case-like tanks positioned behind the rider. It’s lighter than gasoline, so the location of the tanks shouldn’t have a catastrophic effect on weight distribution, but it’s not as dense so Kawasaki needs bigger tanks to achieve the same range. We’re told that the prototype’s chassis is entirely new; it was developed from the ground up with hydrogen technology in mind.
Technical specifications such as horsepower, riding range, and weight haven’t been released. However, project leader Satoaki Ichi noted that the prototype should feel and sound a lot like a regular gasoline-burning motorcycle with a few added benefits. “Hydrogen burns more quickly and under a wider range of conditions than gasoline, making it possible to create a more responsive feeling than ever,” he said.
Hydrogen-powered motorcycles face the same major hurdle as hydrogen-powered cars: the lack of an infrastructure. With that in mind, there’s no word yet on what the future holds for Kawasaki’s prototype, let alone when we’ll see it in showrooms. Kawasaki is working with rivals Suzuki, Honda, and Yamaha on the technology, but Ichi stressed that the project remains at the embryonic stage of development.