I swung by the 2006 Tokyo Fuel Cell Expo yesterday, where I saw the ENV motorcycle from Intelligent Energy:
I blogged about the ENV previously here. Its expected price is somewhere below $10,000. According to a company representative I spoke to, it should be available to consumers in about 18 months, which sounds like next summer or fall to me. Can't wait? If you register via this form, there's a chance you might get to be a product tester before it goes on sale.
Apparently, riding it feels more like skiiing or windsurfing than like riding a normal motorcycle. Rumors that Intelligent Energy will be adding simulated engine noise to the ENV are false — the company sees the bike's silent operation as a selling point, not a problem. Interestingly, the fuel cell that powers the bike is removable, and can be used to run other items in your home.
Until hydrogen fuel becomes easily available, the ENV won't be a practical choice for most riders; Intelligent Energy says it's "developing mini-fuel reformers to create hydrogen and working on establishing fuel supply infrastructures." Still, while hydrogen bikes won't rule the road in the near future, it's exciting to see that fuel cell technology has come this far.
I blogged about the ENV previously here. Its expected price is somewhere below $10,000. According to a company representative I spoke to, it should be available to consumers in about 18 months, which sounds like next summer or fall to me. Can't wait? If you register via this form, there's a chance you might get to be a product tester before it goes on sale.
Apparently, riding it feels more like skiiing or windsurfing than like riding a normal motorcycle. Rumors that Intelligent Energy will be adding simulated engine noise to the ENV are false — the company sees the bike's silent operation as a selling point, not a problem. Interestingly, the fuel cell that powers the bike is removable, and can be used to run other items in your home.
Until hydrogen fuel becomes easily available, the ENV won't be a practical choice for most riders; Intelligent Energy says it's "developing mini-fuel reformers to create hydrogen and working on establishing fuel supply infrastructures." Still, while hydrogen bikes won't rule the road in the near future, it's exciting to see that fuel cell technology has come this far.
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