Toyota & Kawasaki Teams Up To Build Hydrogen Motorcycle Engines

Toyota will be teaming up with Kawasaki to build hydrogen engines for motorcycles in the future.

This collaboration with the world's largest car manufacturer will put Kawasaki on the fast track for its development and infrastructure of hydrogen-powered bikes thanks to Toyota's experience in sustainable ICE alternatives, hydrogen included.

Hydrogen-powered Kawasaki ATV sealed the deal?

The collaboration deal was inked earlier this month when Toyota President, Akio Toyoda, went for a joyride on a hydrogen-powered Kawasaki ATV at the Twin Ring Motegi circuit.

Toyota itself has already launched the world's first dedicated (and commercially available) hydrogen fuel cell car, the Toyota Mirai. With more than 2,600 sold worldwide so far, their knowledge and experience would be valuable for Kawasaki to speed things up within its hydrogen R&D department.

No more Kawasaki ICE bikes by 2035

This hydrogen-powered engine for motorcycles is just one of many efforts by Team Green following its announcement to completely ditch ICEs across its model offerings by 2035. Announced at EICMA 2021, we can expect to see its first electric and hybrid motorcycle models at EICMA 2022 in a state that's closer to production.

Kawasaki has already previewed its prototypes of both the BEV and hybrid motorcycles back in August during the Suzuka 8 Hours motorcycle endurance race. Will other bike manufacturers follow suit? Better late than never, we suppose.