The Mazda HR-X was the first
hydrogen
Hydrogen is the chemical element with the symbol H and atomic number 1. Hydrogen is the lightest element. At standard conditions hydrogen is a gas of diatomic molecules having the formula . It is colorless, odorless, tasteless, non-toxic, an ...
powered
concept car
A concept car (also known as a concept vehicle, show vehicle or prototype) is a car made to showcase new styling and/or new technology. They are often exhibited at motor shows to gauge customer reaction to new and radical designs which may or ...
produced by
Mazda
, commonly referred to as simply Mazda, is a Japanese multinational automotive manufacturer headquartered in Fuchū, Hiroshima, Japan.
In 2015, Mazda produced 1.5 million vehicles for global sales, the majority of which (nearly one m ...
. The car was unveiled at the
Tokyo Motor Show
The is a biennial auto show held in October–November at the Tokyo Big Sight, Tokyo, Japan for cars, motorcycles and commercial vehicles. Hosted by the Japan Automobile Manufacturers Association (JAMA), it is a recognized international show by ...
in 1991. The car seated four people in a plastic shell and was powered by a two rotor
Wankel engine
The Wankel engine (, ) is a type of internal combustion engine using an Eccentric (mechanism), eccentric rotary combustion engine, rotary design to convert pressure into rotating motion. It was invented by German engineer Felix Wankel, and desi ...
which propelled it to . The hydrogen was stored in a cooled metal hydride tank and provided a range of . It was the first in a series of demonstration
hydrogen internal combustion engine vehicle
A hydrogen internal combustion engine vehicle (HICEV) is a type of hydrogen vehicle using an internal combustion engine. Hydrogen internal combustion engine vehicles are different from hydrogen fuel cell vehicles (which use electrochemical us ...
s produced by Mazda.
Design and development
![MAZDA HR-X('91) 02](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/4/45/MAZDA_HR-X%28%2791%29_02.jpg)
The Mazda HR-X was a small concept car developed by Mazda a their plant in
Aki District, Hiroshima
is a district, and is within the Minami-ku, Hiroshima ward, Ward (electoral subdivision), one of the
eight wards that comprise the Hiroshima Prefecture, in Japan.
'Minami', is Japanese for 'South'. 'Ku', is loosely suggestive of a division, s ...
to showcase the use of
hydrogen
Hydrogen is the chemical element with the symbol H and atomic number 1. Hydrogen is the lightest element. At standard conditions hydrogen is a gas of diatomic molecules having the formula . It is colorless, odorless, tasteless, non-toxic, an ...
fuel as a possible environmentally friendly alternative for automotive transport. The cabin accommodated four people who entered via
gull-wing door
In the automotive industry, a gull-wing door, also known as a falcon-wing door or an up-door, is a car door that is hinged at the roof rather than the side, as pioneered by Mercedes-Benz 300 SL, first as a race car in 1952 ( W194), and then a ...
s. It was constructed of plastic and designed to be nearly completely recyclable. The car was long and wide, with a maximum height of . Weight was .
The car was powered by a two rotor
Wankel engine
The Wankel engine (, ) is a type of internal combustion engine using an Eccentric (mechanism), eccentric rotary combustion engine, rotary design to convert pressure into rotating motion. It was invented by German engineer Felix Wankel, and desi ...
that produced mounted in the rear. The Wankel engine was chosen as it solved the backfiring problems that beset previous attempts to run hydrogen in combustion engines. 37 Nm3 () of hydrogen was stored in a metal hydride tank that was refuelled by a single nozzle alongside water for cooling. The engine was connected to the wheels via a 4 speed
automatic transmission
An automatic transmission (sometimes abbreviated to auto or AT) is a multi-speed transmission used in internal combustion engine-based motor vehicles that does not require any input from the driver to change forward gears under normal driving c ...
, while a
KERS-like system called Active Torque Control System (ACTS) was used to recover braking energy and reuse it to improve acceleration. The car was capable of a top speed of and had a range of .
Legacy
A single example of the HR-X was displayed at the
Tokyo Motor Show
The is a biennial auto show held in October–November at the Tokyo Big Sight, Tokyo, Japan for cars, motorcycles and commercial vehicles. Hosted by the Japan Automobile Manufacturers Association (JAMA), it is a recognized international show by ...
in 1991 and then in
New York
New York most commonly refers to:
* New York City, the most populous city in the United States, located in the state of New York
* New York (state), a state in the northeastern United States
New York may also refer to:
Film and television
* '' ...
in 1992. However, it was not ready for production and no more were produced. The car was superseded by the more conventional
HR-X 2 a year later, the next in line of a number of Wankel-powered hydrogen-fuelled vehicles developed by Mazda. The lineage culminated in the
RX-8 Hydrogen RE and
Premacy Hydrogen RE Hybrid
The Mazda Premacy Hydrogen RE Hybrid or Mazda5 Hydrogen RE Hybrid was a hydrogen powered hybrid car produced by Mazda. Later models were also called the Mazda Hydrogen RE Plug in Hybrid. The first car was unveiled in 2005, with an improved version ...
produced in small quantities in 2007.
See also
*
List of Mazda vehicles
This is a list of Mazda motor vehicle models. Mazda had used a number of different marques in the Japan market, including Autozam, Eunos, and Efini, although they have been phased out. In the early 1990s Mazda almost created a luxury marque, Ama ...
*
List of hydrogen internal combustion engine vehicles
A hydrogen internal combustion engine vehicle (HICEV) is a vehicle powered by a hydrogen-fueled internal combustion engine. Some versions are hydrogen-gasoline hybrids.
1800s
* 1807 – Francois Isaac de Rivaz – the De Rivaz engine, the fir ...
References
Citations
Bibliography
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External links
Image gallery at favcars.com
{{Mazda vehicles
Cars introduced in 1991
Hydrogen cars
HR-X