Mazda expands Hydrogen RX-8 fleet

HIROSHIMA, Japan — Mazda rolled out another flex-fuel RX-8 Hydrogen RE research vehicle this week in its continuing quest to gather real-world data on cars that can run on either hydrogen or gasoline. This vehicle was turned over to the Japan Automobile Research Institute for testing.

[Source: Edmunds: Insideline]

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Unlike other auto companies, which use piston-driven power plants for hydrogen application, Mazda is convinced that a rotary engine is a better answer. It argues that the rotary engine's compact size and the use of separate intake and combustion chambers make it better suited for hydrogen fuel. The 107-horsepower flex-fuel RX-8 can travel 62 miles on hydrogen and cover 340 miles on 16 gallons of gas.

This latest version of the flex-fuel RX-8 Hydrogen RE will be used to create proposals for international hydrogen standards and help develop safety regulations, among other things.

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