| TOKYO,--Japan's
Mazda Motor Corp. (TSE:7261) plans to start offering a hybrid minivan powered
by a hydrogen-gasoline dual-fuel rotary engine and an electric motor around
2008, President Hisakazu Imaki told a news conference Wednesday at the
Tokyo Motor Show.
The
Premacy Hydrogen RE Hybrid's engine switches to gasoline once the hydrogen
runs out, and the electric motor helps improve fuel economy and power output.
The current prototype can be driven just 200km on a tankful of hydrogen,
but the automaker intends to improve the performance.
Because hydrogen pumps are unlikely
to become widely available by 2008, the Premacy Hydrogen RE Hybrid is expected
to be mostly leased to government agencies and others at first.
Imaki also said Mazda will likely
start leasing the RX-8 Hydrogen RE, a vehicle based on a hydrogen-gasoline
dual-fuel rotary engine, next spring.

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