Suzuki has announced their Burgman Fuel-Cell Scooter has become the world’s first fuel-cell vehicle to earn Whole Vehicle Type Approval in the European Union.
The Burgman Fuel-Cell Scooter debuted at the 41st Tokyo Motor Show in October 2009. Since February 2010, Suzuki and British company Intelligent Energy, which developed the Burgman Fuel-Cell Scooter’s fuel-cell system, have been jointly participating in trials of the scooter on public roads. The trials are being conducted in the area surrounding Loughborough University in central England using a single Burgman Fuel-Cell Scooter unit – so keep your eyes peeled for a scooter emitting water instead of fumes…
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It was initially necessary to obtain Single Vehicle Approval for each Burgman Fuel-Cell Scooter unit to be used in the trials. The newly obtained Whole Vehicle Type Approval (a pan-European endorsement reflecting recognition of the Burgman Fuel-Cell Scooter’s high levels of environmental performance and safety) means that Single Vehicle Approval is no longer necessary.
The Fuel-Cell Scooter incorporates a light, compact, air-cooled fuel cell and a hydrogen tank that’s positioned inside the frame. Electricity produced by the fuel cell powers a motor for propulsion; the only emission is water. Suzuki aims to make eco-friendly fuel-cell scooters increasingly common in Europe in line with the establishment of hydrogen filling stations and other necessary infrastructure to make them a viable alternative to petrol-fuelled scoots.
See it in motion HERE
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