Yamaha, Kawasaki Team Up to Develop Hydrogen Power

Two Japanese industry giants aren’t giving up on internal combustion just yet.

In partnership with Kawasaki, Yamaha is reportedly working on hydrogen tech for its motorcycle division. We can’t imagine UTVs will be too far behind.Kevan Ray

It seems like we get a new electric UTV announcement every week, as manufacturers and startups scramble to be first through the door with electric tech that sets the early benchmark. Polaris has the clubhouse lead, with its 2022 Ranger Kinetic, but there are others coming.

It all points to a future free from internal combustion, but Yamaha and Kawasaki appear to have other ideas. According to RideApart and Motociclismo, the two are working on hydrogen-powered internal combustion engines with an eye to working the mills into their motorcycle lineups. Hydrogen tech has been bandied about for a long time, but manufacturers are starting to take it seriously again, and Lexus even kicked out a hydrogen-powered UTV concept.

There’s not much in the way of confirmation from Kawasaki or Yamaha in either story, but the play would make sense. And, given both manufacturers have a strong foothold in the UTV market, we imagine it won’t be too long before the research trickles our way.

For now, it’s just something to keep an eye on, but rest assured we’ll keep the updates coming as we hear them.

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