Hydrogen bike : Are you also troubled by the high prices of petrol and diesel? So a good news is coming out for you that in future many bike companies can also come up with hydrogen bikes because companies know that engines running on petrol and diesel are not going to last for long. And now the era of electric vehicles is over and it is possible that its era may also end, so now companies are working on hydrogen-powered bikes and soon we can see hydrogen bikes running on the roads.
So let’s know which bike companies are involved in this hydrogen bike race.
What is a hydrogen bike?
Hydrogen bike is a motorcycle that runs on hydrogen gas instead of petrol or diesel. It is mainly of two types:
- Hydrogen fuel cell bike:- In this concept, a fuel cell is used, which converts hydrogen into electricity which powers the motor that runs the bike. This concept is very smooth and the bike does not cause any pollution.
- Hydrogen combustion engine bike:- In this concept, the bike works exactly like a petrol and diesel engine because the same combustion process takes place in it, only hydrogen fuel is burnt in it instead of petrol and diesel. No harmful gas is released in this process, only water and steam are released in it. It is also very beneficial for the environment.
How does a hydrogen bike work?
Now if we talk about how a hydrogen bike works, then hydrogen gas is stored in the bike through a tank, just like a CNG bike and in this too, hydrogen gas is either directly burned in the engine to generate power or the motor is started by generating electricity through a fuel cell. Out of these two processes, the most special thing about the fuel cell bike is that it releases only water, which does not harm the environment.
Benefits of hydrogen bike
Now if we talk about the benefits of this bike, as this bike works on the technology of hydrogen fuel, then the process of combustion in this bike is very smooth, which reduces pollution and the most interesting thing is that it takes only a few minutes to refuel it, whereas an electric bike can take several hours to charge.
Talking about range, it can cover more distance than an electric bike, making it a great option for long riders. And performance? If we talk about a bike with a hydrogen engine, then it gives the same speed and power as a petrol engine, due to which the fun of riding remains intact.
Challenges of Hydrogen Bikes
- Lack of hydrogen infrastructure- Although these bikes will take a lot of time to arrive, but after the launch of these bikes, the biggest challenge is going to be its refueling station, which will take a lot of time to develop. Due to which it is difficult to use them right now.
- Expensive tank and technology- As we saw in the article above that hydrogen fuel will be stored in the bike through a tank, out of which the price of manufacturing this tank will also be very high, due to which the price of these bikes can be slightly higher than petrol bikes.
- Research and development:- As this is going to be a kind of new technology based bike, so the research and development of this bike can also take a lot of time and cost because in this bike, care has to be taken of precision and other features which we get to see in today’s petrol and electric bikes.
By the way, if you want to understand the concept of this bike better, then you can watch the episode “World’s First Hydrogen Bike Ethanol” of season 3 of Shark Tank India, in which it is told how this bike works and what problems can come in launching this bike in the market and what are the possibilities of launching this bike in the market.
Which companies are working on hydrogen bikes?
Talking about the company working on the concept of hydrogen bike, Honda, Yamaha, Suzuki & Kawasaki’s HySE projects are going on in which work is being done on hydrogen-powered bikes and these bikes are also being tested and it is possible that soon one of these companies can introduce its first hydrogen bike.
1. Kawasaki
The first name among the companies working on the concept of hydrogen bike is Kawasaki, which has recently shown the prototype of the engine of a hydrogen-powered bike. Which uses a supercharged engine inside the bike, in which hydrogen is burnt. Currently this is just a prototype and a lot of work is still left on it, so it may take time for this bike to be launched.
2 .Honda, Yamaha, Suzuki & Kawasaki (HySE Project)
Many companies are also working together on hydrogen bikes, out of which Honda, Yamaha, Suzuki & Kawasaki, these three companies are working together on hydrogen bike technology and these three together have also launched the HySE (Hydrogen Small Mobility & Engine Technology) project.
3. MIT (Massachusetts Institute of Technology)
MIT’s electric vehicle team has created a hydrogen fuel cell bike, which could further improve this technology in the future.
4. Bajaj
Now it is not that no company in India is working on the concept of this bike because the BikeTimes team has found out here after meeting many bike industry experts that an old bike company i.e. Bajaj Auto is also included in this race, which is making a lot of noise in the market with its CNG bike. Seeing this success, the company is developing hydrogen two-wheelers under its bajaj Chetak Technologies brand. If it is successful, Bajaj can become the first company to bring hydrogen bikes to India.
Will hydrogen bikes be able to beat electric bikes in the future?
At present, electric bikes dominate, but hydrogen technology also has a lot of potential. If the hydrogen refueling infrastructure becomes strong and the prices come down, then this technology can give a tough competition to electric vehicles.
Hydrogen bike vs electric bike
| Feature | Hydrogen Bike | Electric Bike |
|---|---|---|
| Environmental Impact | Zero Emissions | Zero Emissions |
| Refueling Time | 3-5 Minutes | 4-6 Hours (Fast Charge) |
| Range | Higher (300+ km) | Lower (100-200 km) |
| Infrastructure | Less Availability | More Charging Stations |
| Cost | More Expensive | Cheaper |
Hydrogen bike technology is still in its early stages, but it has tremendous potential. Hydrogen can solve some of the major issues of electric vehicles, such as charging time and long-distance riding. If governments invest in hydrogen infrastructure and big companies make this technology affordable, then hydrogen bikes may start running on the roads in the coming 10-15 years. But for now, the electric bike market will dominate.
Would you like to buy a hydrogen bike, if it launches in India? Let us know your opinion in the comments!