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Amanda Quick·
Motorcycle News
··2 min read

Industry Insider: Yamaha’s Not Biting the Hydrogen Bullet…Yet

“Until The World is Producing More Energy, Cleaner Energy, Green Energy… Hydrogen Is A Dream.”

The Ninja H2 HySE, the world's first hydrogen motorcycle.
The Ninja H2 HySE, the world's first hydrogen motorcycle. The Ninja H2 HySE, the world's first hydrogen motorcycle. Media provided by Webike Japan.
  • Yamaha does not have hydrogen bikes in their short-term goals
  • HySE Consortium remains an excellent option for pooling knowledge
  • …until the industry is ready, de Seynes says internal combustion is our best option

Eric de Seynes has just sat down with MCN to talk about hydrogen tech and it’s feasibility in today’s markets.

It’s been under a week since Yamaha EU’s previous President stepped down from his role as CEO to join the company’s supervisory board; despite this, de Seynes remains as passionate about Yamaha as ever… which makes him the perfect candidate for chats on hydrogen tech.

A man holding a book in front of a Yamaha sign.
Eric de Seynes, previous President and now the Chairman of the Supervisory Board. Media provided by Yamaha Racing.

Yamaha and Hydrogen

For those of you who don’t know, Yamaha is part of a partnership called the “HySE Consortium.” “HySE” (or “Hydrogen Small Mobility & Engine Technology”) is dedicated to hydrogen-powered motorcycles, drones, mini cars, and watercraft.

According to the HySE press release, Yamaha’s commitment to HySE included the following:

  • “Hands-on research using real hydrogen-powered engines” (functionality, performance, and reliability) with Kawasaki.

  • The development of “refueling systems and hydrogen tanks.”

The Ninja H2 HySE, the world's first hydrogen motorcycle.
The Ninja H2 HySE, the world’s first hydrogen motorcycle. Media provided by Webike Japan.

Does Yamaha have any Hydrogen bikes in the works?

Kawasaki – another member of HySE – has just gone and punted out the world’s first hydrogen sports bike, leading to the inevitable query: What’s Yammie got cooking in the lab?

According to de Seynes, not much… at least, not for the motorcycle community. If we want that answer to change, we’ll apparently have to wait for our good industry to come along:

Hydrogen is obviously a next-generation technology, but it requires a lot of energy [to produce]… so, until the world is producing more energy, cleaner energy, green energy, hydrogen is a dream.”

See also

“We know how to make a scooter run with hydrogen, how it works and can manage it. But to make it real for our customers is another story. And we are not alone.”

– Eric de Seynes, Chairman of Supervisory Board (MCN)
A man bowing to a stripped motorcycle .
A man bowing to an ICE bike. Media provided by SUPERMOTO8

Why Yamaha joined HySE

Yamaha may not see themselves cooking up a hydrogen-powered bike in the next year, but de Seynes reminds us not to underestimate strength in numbers – in fact, strength is exactly why they sigmed on as a member of the HySE Consortium in the first place:

“[We participated] with [HySE] because it’s advanced technology, and it’s better that we share. It makes sense to have a consortium and work together until the market is ready. But in the short term, the internal combustion engine is the best technology you can get.”

“That’s a fact.”

– Eric de Seynes, Chairman of Supervisory Board (MCN)

Are you excited to see what 2024 brings for the members of the HySE Consortium?

*Media provided by SUPERMOTO8, as well as Webike and Yamaha Racing*