Old Rotor

They have the go-ahead. We might see them in a few years!

http://www.mazda.com/publicity/relea...410/1027e.html

AlbertDigital

Hydrogen: 74L / 35MPa high-pressure tank

HA! There are still many major challenges in using H2 as a fuel or in a fuel cell, and until they can prove to me that this hydrogen tank can survive in an accident like the one below, I will neither drive in one or drive close to one.

DMRH

Mazda quote power loss of over 10% for the hydrogen 13B-MSP engine as used in the 2003+ RX-8's.

Albert digital: Your paronia is not warranted. The chemical process of converting the fuel cell into hydrogen doesn't happen in the actual tank. So it can be ruptured without the fear of explosion

RXE16T

Somehow this makes me really sceptical........ maybe more like 15-20% less power then 13B-MSP.

Afterall, we know Mazda's great history of (over)estimates of quoted power output pertaining to the 13B-MSP.

nt5k

Car and Driver had the power output of the Hydro at half that of the gas one.

RotorGeek

I still wanna see this happen. At first the horsepower will suck but give it time.

wakeech

there's a ton less chemical energy in hydrogen compared to gasoline, and it's harder to introduce 'cause of it's low density (you can't really spray it into the combustion chamber as well as a liquid). relatively, you're always going to have less horsepower in a hydrogen engine.

RotorGeek

I agree with you but i was not thinking of compareing it with gas. I was just saying that with time the hydrogen engine will produce more power. R&D lots of R&D.

Icemastr

I have heard the half power or about 100HP figure before. Not sure if it is as simple as flicking a switch to change to operating on either fuel source though.

kellybrf

iTrader: (2)

holy **** albert!?! how the hell do you do that to an 8?

Rotarian_SC

have it run on a different tank and tune? I don't think they are suggesting you can flip the switch while you are driving down the road.

kellybrf

iTrader: (2)

i meant bending the car in half!

JimJimElf

I can't believe you are trying to compare the two. Of course right now you get better performance from gas. Look how long they have been making gas engines. Look how weak the Model T was. Hydrogen is a fairly new concept. give it time and it will probably be up there in performance. Look at hybrids right now. They keep getting better and better.

nt5k

Actually.. That is how the car is setup. With a button to go from gas to hydro. I doubt it would be smart to use it while driving though.