Kawasaki launched a zero-emission motorcycle recently in Japan. The public got their first taste of Kawasaki’s hydrogen power at the Suzuka race circuit in Japan during the motorcycle engine’s debut recently, ahead of the Suzuka 8 Hours race. The demonstration has ignited a wave of interest in the future of zero-emission engines for ‘small’ vehicles, especially considering that hydrogen fuel, by nature, requires more space on the frame to deliver the necessary level of performance.
Earlier footage of the engine running laps at the Autopolis international circuit is catching attention as people hone in on the huge hydrogen tanks mounted on the side. The system also incorporates a back-mounted filling port and several cylinders designed to handle a severe pressure load.
Although the Suzuka outing was the first public showcasing of the two-wheeled incarnation, the hydrogen engine actually made an appearance in January at the Dakar 2024 rally in the form of the HySE-X1 four-wheeler. Suzuki, Toyota, Yamaha, Honda, and Kawasaki united to form the HySE research association in May 2023, and this collaboration, aimed at developing hydrogen options for smaller vehicles, is already bearing fruit.
Kawasaki revealed that testing of the bike engine began in early 2024, leading to the July showing just half a year later. But the conception stage dates back to October 2021, when they released the design of a four-cylinder 998cc Ninja H2 revised to accommodate hydrogen. It didn’t take long before a model on paper appeared in November 2022, followed by the real thing in December 2023.
