Kawasaki Motors recently conducted the first public demonstration of a hydrogen internal combustion engine (ICE) motorcycle made by a mass-production motorcycle manufacturer.
The company, a Kawasaki Heavy Industries Group division, says it is the world’s first hydrogen ICE bike made by a major manufacturer. The public demonstration run was held on July 20, 2024, at the Suzuka Circuit in Japan.
The motorcycle was designed as part of a research effort started in March 2023. Prior to the public demo, the company began conducting private tests earlier this year.
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The bike’s hydrogen engine is based on the 998 cm3 In-Line Four Supercharged Engine found in Kawasaki’s Ninja H2 motorcycle. Modifications allow direct injection of hydrogen fuel into the cylinders. The chassis was designed to accommodate onboard hydrogen fuel canisters and a fuel supply system.
According to Kawasaki, hydrogen ICE motorcycles run on hydrogen combustion, which produces the rumble and pulsating sensation that riders feel when twisting the throttle, but it primarily emits water. The team says a fractional amount of engine oil is burned, which creates a small amount of CO2.
Kawasaki Motors hopes to realize a functioning hydrogen ICE motorcycle by the early 2030s. The effort is part of the company’s carbon neutral initiative, though Kawasaki admits that commercial availability will depend on hydrogen fuel supply infrastructure and legal regulations in each country.
Kawasaki Motors is a member of HySE (Hydrogen Small Mobility & Engine Technology), a research association the company co-founded in May 2023 with its parent company, Kawasaki Heavy Industries, Suzuki, Toyota, Honda and Yamaha. HySE was created to advance basic research on hydrogen engines, filling systems, and fuel supply systems for small mobility vehicles.
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