Visitors
to this week's International Electric Automobile show in Yokohama will
get a chance to see Yamaha's hydrogen fuel-cell powered scooter, the FC-Aqel.
The 125cc machine carries two compressed
hydrogen tanks and has LED lights.
It also features a Rechargeable Litihium
Ion battery.
The system is composed of a fuel
cell with a metal separator, two 35 MPa high-pressure hydrogen tanks, a
Li-ion secondary battery, etc.
For size reduction of the driving
member, an ultraflat brushless DC motor, a compact controller and a planetary
transmission are compactly contained in a hub section of a rear wheel,
and the hub section is integrally provided with a rear arm. The body measures
1,845 (L) x 770 (W) x 1,100 (H) mm.
In July 2003, Yamaha Motor developed
"FC-me," 50 cc comparable scooter with a direct methanol fuel cell that
runs on methanol instead of hydrogen. The company intends to continue to
develop both systems.

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