It’s been a long time coming. In November 2007 I had talked about Mazda planning to deliver 30 to 40 Renesis RX 8 Hydrogen cars to Norway as part of the region’s Hynor project. Now, Mazda is making good on this promise in short order.
On May 11, 2009 just one week from today, Mazda is scheduled to deliver its first Mazda RX-8 RE Hydrogen car at Hynor’s official opening. The cities in the 360-mile stretch of Norway that hydrogen fueling stations will be operational include Oslo, Drammen, Notodden, Porsgrunn, Grimstad, Lyngdal and Stavanger.
Once the ribbon cutting ceremony has concluded in Oslo, the Mazda RX-8 Hydrogen will need to undergo Norwegian certification to make sure it passes all road standards in that country. The Mazda RX-8 RE Hydrogen is currently being leased in Japan and is different from most H2 fuel cell vehicles.
The Mazda RX-8 RE Hydrogen uses a dual fuel rotary internal combustion engine plus transmission to motivate the vehicle. With a flip of a switch the driver can go between hydrogen power and gasoline as needed.
Mazda first developed the hydrogen rotary engine back in 1991 and has since refined the hydrogen engine and has developed hydrogen fuel cell vehicles as well (Demio FC-EV, Premacy FC-EV). The Mazda RX-8 RE Hydrogen is slated to start leasing in Norway this coming summer 2009.
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