Mazda begins leasing the Rotary Hydrogen RX-8 in Japan
This past February 10th, Mazda received permission from Japan’s Ministry of Land Infrastructure and Transport to begin leasing the RX-8 Hydrogen RE to two corporate customers. The Hydrogen RE features a rotary engine that can run on either gasoline or hydrogen with the flick of a switch. By the end of the year Mazda plans to have lease contracts for ten vehicles in total.
The Hydrogen RE was unveiled at the 2003 Tokyo Motor Show and it’s taken 29 months of development to get the concept ready for the real world. When running on hydrogen the RX-8 will emit no carbon dioxide or nitrogen oxide while providing the driver about 107 horsepower. The monthly payment for the vehicle is pretty hefty, however, at 420,000 yen including tax, or about $3,576 US a month.
Full spec sheet after the jump...
[Source: Mazda Japan]
Specifications and lease price of Mazda RX-8 Hydrogen RE
Vehicle Type: Mazda LA-SE3P 'Kai' (modified model)
Overall length/width/height: 4.435mm / 1.770mm / 1.340mm
Wheelbase: 2,700mm
Curb weight: 1,460kg
Seating capacity: 4 adults
Engine Class: RENESIS hydrogen rotary engine (Dual fuel system)
Type: 13B
Displacement: 0.654L x 2
Maximum output: Hydrogen – 80kW (109PS), Gasoline – 154kW (210PS)
Maximum torque: Hydrogen – 140Nm (14.3kgm) ,Gasoline – 222Nm (22.6kgm)
FuelType: Hydrogen/gasoline switch
Fuel tank: Hydrogen – 110L/35Mpa (350 bar) high pressure hydrogen tank, Gasoline – 61L
Performance Cruising distance (10-15 mode): Hydrogen – 100km, Gasoline – 549km
*Standard lease price (Price without tax indicated in brackets.) : 420,000 yen (400,000 yen) per month
Reader Comments (Page 1 of 2)
Mike from Scarborough 11:57AM (2/15/2006)
Ahh..Hydogen,the ultimate non poluting engine.If Only people could drive,then the fear of small hydrogen Bombs racing around would go away...
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Noah 12:22PM (2/15/2006)
The rotary engine is great for hydrogen, because the intake and exhaust ports are so far apart and away from the combustion site the temperature of the intake stays fairly cool and it's possible to induct the hydrogen and air separately. In 1993 at the Toykyo Motor Show Mazda introduced the HR-X2 concept car a hydrogen powered coupe.
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Charles S 12:25PM (2/15/2006)
Hmmm... I could be wrong, but while hydrogen is flammable, it is not necessary explosive. I know when people think of hydrogen, they think of Hindenburg. But I believe Hindenburg was engulf in flame more because of the material used to store the hydrogen, and not mainly fueled by the hydrogen.
Now, I am of no authority to claim hydrogen is safer than gasoline or not, but if we are willing to accept the risk of potential explosion from HUGE gasoline tanks on SUVs and 18-wheelers , then as long as stored hydrogen is of similiar risks, I say go for it.
My beef with hydrogen is more on the source where it would come from (probably fossil fuel), how it would get distributed (probably not very efficiently), and how to store it in the same density as gasoline (instead of a giant tank that would take the whole trunk).
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Steve S 12:41PM (2/15/2006)
I'm assuming some smart people somewhere in the world are looking into the impact that large numbers of hydrogen powered cars would have? Isn't there a reasonable amount of water vapor generated by using hydrogen? So good for Arizona perhaps but not so much for Florida.
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Steve S 12:50PM (2/15/2006)
I'm assuming some smart people somewhere in the world are looking into the impact that large numbers of hydrogen powered cars would have? Isn't there a reasonable amount of water vapor generated by using hydrogen? So good for Arizona perhaps but not so much for Florida.
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sk 12:57PM (2/15/2006)
#3 youre right. If I remember right hydrogen requires a 50-50 mix with oxygen to create an explosive gas. Hydrogen by itself is not very dangerous. But if you look at the storage tank that is a different story altogether, usually they store it under high pressure and that is where the problem starts.
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Timothy McClanahan 1:30PM (2/15/2006)
Half the power at 18% the range of the gasoline version = Not Ready for Primetime.
And where does this Hydrogen come from? Most of it comes from cracked natural gas, so you're not really helping much anyway, considering you have to use 5x as much to get anywhere (with half the power). I'll take an H2N-Gen H2 injection system, thanks, as it'll be available LONG before H2 filling stations and practical H2 cars will be. By decades, I'm betting.
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dodz 3:24PM (2/15/2006)
Hydrogen gas reacts with oxygen gas in the air and make one hell of an explosion.
its called grade 11 CHEMISTRY
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Charles S 5:18PM (2/15/2006)
"Hydrogen gas reacts with oxygen gas in the air and make one hell of an explosion.
its called grade 11 CHEMISTRY"
Wow, thank you very much, Mr. Science!
There is a difference between the word "flammable" and "explosive." Also, regardless if it is hydrogen or gasoline, there are conditions where both substances are simply flammable, and other conditions when they are explosive!
Instead of fueling the myth, here is what a pro-hydrogen website says about explosive properties of hydrogen gas and gasoline:
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In order to burn, hydrogen requires a higher concentration in the atmosphere than other fuels
When hydrogen approaches levels of 4% concentration in the atmosphere, the possibility of it igniting increases greatly. A concentration level of 4% for hydrogen does not seem that high, but when compared to gasoline, which is 1%, hydrogen offers a significantly lower risk of explosion. Gasoline becomes volatile at a concentration 4 times lower than that of hydrogen.
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So here we are, just about every single car on the road have fuel tanks that have the potential to explode, and yet we are more worried about hydrogen, when it has a lower level of volitility?
Before people get smart with me, OF COURSE hydrogen can explode! But so can the 40-gallon gas tank that is only 5 feet behind you! The point is that we know the properties of hydrogen and we can design hydrogen tanks in a way that it would less likely to explode!
If people are willing to carry gasoline bombs in their vehicles, why get so upset about a hydrogen storage tanks that can possibly be of a safer design?!?
Sheesh!
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ZoomZoomin' 8:39PM (2/15/2006)
107HP, 100km range? So you can travel two blocks very slowly in a sports car. mmm-kay...
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Tyre 9:59PM (2/15/2006)
#10 All at the price of a Murcielago.
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Car-la 4:53AM (2/16/2006)
But it's paid by companies, so they won't worry about the costs. I'm sure we're still years away from a private use of hydrogen powered cars. But this is a good start. Seems like Mazda is very confident with its development.
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Fred Monros 6:51PM (2/16/2006)
Hydrogen is the way to go. I am a chemist. Trust me. If you don't trust me, consider the emissions, pure drinkable water. No other gases to warm the globe. Make the hydrogen from water, using solar panels at your house. Plug-up up your car every night. Let your local system add hydrogen to your car. When your system doesn't produce enough energy/hydrogen -- don't go anywhere! Too bad. You shouldn't be a spoiled brat. Be responsible, wait until you have enough hydrogen to go somewhere.
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Jakery 3:48PM (2/17/2006)
Oh Fred, do you have any idea how much it would cost to Make the hydrogen from water, using solar panels at your house.? How are you going to pay for that when your system doesnt generate enough hydrogen to allow you to go to work the next day?
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Tom Garner 5:12AM (3/05/2006)
Interesting debate!. But whether we like the concept of not, Mazda, like a lot of carmakers are pushing for it.
If the Rotary is the ideal engine for Hydrogen, then Mazda must be pretty pleased with itself right now.
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Hector 1:29PM (4/12/2006)
Has anyone looked at the price. THe articles says that the car will be leased in Janpan for 400,000 Yen wich are 3,374 US dollars. Who in the right mind would pay that price for a slow sports car? You might save couple of dollars in fuel, but you will be paying over 30,000 dollars a year to lease a Mazda.
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AG 3:13PM (4/20/2006)
California already has a couple of hydrogen fill stations (for Mr. Terminator's Hummer most likely) and NYC is supposed to have one by the end of 2006. So in terms of infastructure, it's a start. (Plus long term benefit for the progress of fuel cells)
Third world countries (not to name names) are doing similar self-modifications of dual-fueled gasoline/gas and diesel/gas vehicles. Better yet, take note that they are using the same propane gas tanks as they light their cooking stoves with, and there are no reported incidents of explosions.
Now the price, power, and efficiency, yes, that is where the problem lies.
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Anthony 6:48PM (6/26/2006)
ok...see this is what i am picturing in my head a cops worst nightmare and the fire departs worst nightmare. When a simple t-bone accedent happens. It turns into a explosion if you hit the car in the right place that is. OH and if that car runs on hydrogen to now 2 cars are in flames. So im not to sure about this. I say go with electric and gas. Cuz now you just have to worry about the gas tank not hydrogen mixed with gas. See were im going with this. Gas explodes and cuz a bigger explotion with the hydrogen. Not smart..but who am i to decide on what there going to do....just thought i would throw that out there.
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Jason 12:13AM (7/18/2006)
4% is the LEL (Lower Explosive Limit)- it will still explode at higher concentrations.
The gas will be compressed to >500psia. 1L of an ideal gas will fill 22.4L of "real" space and Hydrogen is more compressible than an ideal gas. If the tank is ruptured, I wouldn't want to be within 100 yds of that.
The gas will rapidly expand + there is enough oxygen in the air to oxidize the reaction = all it would take is a source of ignition to explode (like any electrical part of the car or the guy smoking at the curb.)
The technology to safely handle H2 in a vehicle is many years from being practical.
-Physical Chemist at a Compressed Gas Company for 10+ years.
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Aaron 6:57PM (9/07/2006)
To set a few things straight.
Hydrogen is much less likely to cause any kind of explosion and even less likely to cause any injury as a result. Play with a little pure oxygen and hydrogen pulled from water. Expose a lit match to the oxygen and the flame burns much hotter, and larger. Hydrogen actually causes a small pop sound, much less heat, and actually blows the match out. As a compressed gas in storage the evacuating gas and the concussive combustion actually serves to prevent hydrogen from continuing to combust.
So a simple car accident will not result in a huge fireball explosion. It won't even likely result in anything other than the sound of hissing gas.
As an expierement I've seen a tank of Hydrogen shot with low and high calibur rounds, and the same done to a tank of gasoline. Guess which one went up in a huge ball of fire in a single shot and which one made a hissing sound after four.
The Hindenburg didn't go down because of Hydrogen. Not because of it's storage tanks, not one part of the fate of that craft is attributed to Hydrogen. Very few people actually died in that accident and those that did suffered burns from the oxygen stored on board due to the elevation or from abandoning the craft from a high altitude. The actual reason that the craft went down was the coating placed on the blimp itself to prevent it from degrading under the elements. The blimp was hit by a bolt of lightning in a storm and for some reason the coating caught fire. The coating that was used then is still used today in many different types of air craft. It's called jet fuel.
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