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I have been reading in this months “Bike” magazine (June 2005), about bikes with a hydrogen fuel cell in place of a convention piston engine. Check it out on p.19. Is this really the future?
Donate – Or Imperial Data will have you sorted!Is this the machine you are on about Radar…..
The ENV (or emissions neutral vehicle), is the world’s first purpose-built, fuel-cell-powered hybrid motorbike and if you can stomach the thought of a tank of pressurised hydrogen between your legs, then it could also be the future for two-wheeled urban transport.
Its maker, Intelligent Energy, which wants to sell the design to an existing motorcycle manufacturer, claims ENV could be on the market within 18 months priced at between £3,000 and £4,000. “There’s been a certain amount of scepticism over the future of a hydrogen infrastructure and economy,” says the chief executive, Harry Bradbury. “Well, that future might be coming a bit sooner than you think.”
The ENV’s twin air-cooled, hydrogen-powered fuel cells give a total of 1.3 horsepower. They are combined with four 12-volt batteries to give a total power output of eight horsepower, which gives the 176lb machine a 100-mile range and a top speed of 50mph.
The batteries are recharged on braking when the electric drive motor is used as a generator to slow the machine. The ENV is also nearly silent. “It makes the same amount of noise as a laptop computer,” says Bradbury.
Although Bradbury says the ENV has a sensor to shut down the fuel cells if hydrogen is leaking, he says that “anyone who deals with hydrogen is hyper-sensitive about safety”, and agrees that motorcycles are particularly vulnerable to crashes.
As a pre-production vehicle, the ENV has not passed any Type Approval safety tests, but the experimental hydrogen fuel-cell buses that are already operating on London’s streets have many safety systems to detect gas leaks and vent hydrogen to atmosphere if a serious malfunction occurs.
The ENV’s hydrogen fuel tank and twin fuel cells are contained in a suitcase-sized box, which fits into the top of the machine. Refuelling the 10,000psi hydrogen tank takes about five minutes, although the alternative of exchanging the whole fuel-cell/fuel-tank unit at a filling station might be more popular.
The ENV was designed by British design consultants Seymour Powell, which has been involved in other small bike projects such as the BMW F650. “Intelligent Energy produce bigger and more powerful fuel cells with up to 13 horsepower,” says project director Nick Talbot, “but we wanted a small, lightweight, urban machine, with good handling.”It’s electric: a prototype of the ENV fuel-cell bikeclaire limit.
courtesy of the Telegraph.co.uk
LOVE IS GIVING SOMEONE THE ABILITY TO DESTROY YOU, THEN TRUSTING THEM NOT TO.
Life should NOT be a journey to the grave with the intention of arriving safely in an attractive and well preserved body, But rather to skid in sideways, chocolate in one hand, Vodka in the other, body thoroughly used up, totally worn out and screaming…….WOO HOO, what a ride!
I’ll start getting interestd when they can deliever real power!
To “ERR” is natural.. to really fowl things up needs a politician!!
I definately dont like the look of that…………….Looks wierd!
I’m not riding fast, I’m just flying low. and please DONATE to this website
it looks like your gran would do the shopping on or to pop down to the bingo ugly as sin
Paul
Talk is cheap
Dont forget to Donate !!!
Maybe Gixer should get one, might be safer!!
To “ERR” is natural.. to really fowl things up needs a politician!!
It is not exactly the best looking bike on the planet. However i think this technology and other alternative fuels could be something we will have to get used to.
Donate – Or Imperial Data will have you sorted!They’ll need to deliver a bit more than 8Hp. The old RSA delivered more than that!
To “ERR” is natural.. to really fowl things up needs a politician!!
quote:
Originally posted by GSF K1Maybe Gixer should get one, might be safer!!
To “ERR” is natural.. to really fowl things up needs a politician!!
Hey GSF? What ya trying to say? I am safe rider……when I get to ride bike that is![:o)]
LOVE IS GIVING SOMEONE THE ABILITY TO DESTROY YOU, THEN TRUSTING THEM NOT TO.
Life should NOT be a journey to the grave with the intention of arriving safely in an attractive and well preserved body, But rather to skid in sideways, chocolate in one hand, Vodka in the other, body thoroughly used up, totally worn out and screaming…….WOO HOO, what a ride!
OK.. so might be more reliable then!
To “ERR” is natural.. to really fowl things up needs a politician!!
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