Yamaha Motor Co. (Tokyo, Japan) announced that it will begin leasing its new fuel cell motorbike to the Shizuoka prefectural government, marking the first public use of such a vehicle. The motorbike runs on a fuel cell powered by a methanol solution, and its carbon-dioxide emission could be 40 percent less than that of a 50 cc gasoline engine model. The FC-me mototrbike will be leased through March 31, 2006, for ¥105,000 a month.
The company is seeking to improve its endurance with an eye on mass production and early commercialization to the public. Yamaha spent more than 20 years developing fuel cells, and the FC-me has been tested on public roads since September of last year.
