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Mazda Motor Corporation
announced today that is has
introduced the Mazda RX-8
Hydrogen RE (Rotary Engine)
vehicle to Norway’s public roads
in collaboration with the
Hydrogen Road of Norway, (HyNor)
project. Initially, the RX-8
Hydrogen RE’s driving
performance on Norwegian roads
will be validated with a single
vehicle, which will also be
shown at various events. This
marks the first time that a
Mazda hydrogen rotary vehicle
has been put into regular use on
public roads outside Japan.
Beginning in 2009,
Mazda will provide approximately
30 RX-8 Hydrogen RE vehicles for
the HyNor project under
commercial lease contracts.
“Up to now, real world use of
Mazda’s hydrogen rotary vehicles
has been limited to Japan.
Participation in the HyNor
project marks our advancement to
the next stage,” says Akihiro
Kashiwagi, Mazda Program Manager
in charge of hydrogen RE
development. “After we validate
the first vehicle on Norwegian
roads, we intend to deliver 30
more units under commercial
lease contracts. We are pleased
to be a part of the
establishment of a society based
on hydrogen energy in Norway.
Mazda plans to use the wealth of
data and experience that will
result from this project for the
further development of hydrogen
vehicles.”
HyNor is a unique Norwegian
initiative to demonstrate the
implementation of a hydrogen
energy infrastructure along a
580 km route from Oslo to
Stavanger in Norway. Hydrogen
filling stations are being
established along this transport
corridor to enable refuelling of
hydrogen vehicles. The project
aims to revolutionize
transportation in Norway by
encompassing buses, taxis and
private cars, and varying types
of transport systems, including
urban, inter-city, regional and
even long-distance transport. Since April 2006, Mazda
has delivered eight RX-8
Hydrogen RE vehicles to
government bodies and
enterprises in Japan under
commercial lease contracts.
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