Mazda test drives hydrogen hybrid vehicle

apanese car maker Mazda had begun testing a hydrogen/petrol hybrid vehicle on public roads.

The Premacy Hydrogen RE Hybrid minivan has a range of 200km on hydrogen fuel, which increases to 550km when running on petrol. The 4.5 metre-long vehicle can hold five passengers.

"We will continue to advance our development programme and strive to start commercial leasing during this fiscal year," said Akihiro Kashiwagi, Mazda's programme manager in charge of hydrogen RE development.

The vehicle is powered by a hydrogen rotary engine, which can run on hydrogen and petrol, and an electric motor. The driver can switch between the two fuel sources by pushing a button.

Hydrogen is stored in a high-pressure tank, while a generator is used to charge lithium-ion batteries which power the electric motor.

From information released by Mazda, it is not clear whether the rotary engine can drive the Premacy's wheels directly.

Mazda 2 1.4 diesel three-door

Mazda's 2 supermini has been very successful since its launch in the autumn of 2007, garnering awards around the world that culminated in a World Car of the Year plaudit.

It's also proved popular with buyers, with Mazda expecting to sell 85,000 cars across Europe in 2008.

So the Japanese carmaker is expanding its portfolio of models with the launch of a three-door variant and the addition of a new diesel to the engine line-up, a 1.4-litre common-rail turbocharged unit that produces 67bhp at 4,000rpm and generates 118lb-ft of torque at 2,000rpm.

The three-door model is intended to look a little sportier than the five-door model, with more than a nod to the Mazda Sassou concept seen at the 2005 Frankfurt Motor Show. The front doors are slightly wider (an extra 162mm) and the rear side windows have a different shape, which have been designed to visually combine with the car's beltline, which rises towards the back of the car to create a wedge shape.

With fuel prices heading skywards, the addition of a more efficient diesel should come as welcome news to potential Mazda 2 buyers, but will an oilburning lump spoil the car's cheeky, nippy character?