Efficiently Transport On The Links With Yamaha's Hydrogen-Powered Golf Cart

Powering Up with Twin High-Pressure Hydrogen Tanks

While not classified as traditional cars, we could not resist delving into the topic of the Yamaha Drive H2. This innovative design is built upon the foundation of the previously released Drive2 Concierge 4 golf cart, but with a unique power system. Billed as the world’s inaugural golf cart to utilize a hydrogen-fed internal combustion engine, it is truly worth discussing.

Unveiled at the PGA Show in Orlando, Florida, this week, the Drive H2 showcases two high-pressure containers for hydrogen. These tanks have a capacity of 25 liters each and are positioned beneath the driver’s seat and on the rear seat’s back. The main goal of this innovation is to prove that traditional engines have the potential to coexist with the ongoing movement towards decarbonization.

Yamaha has successfully developed both generators and recreational off-highway vehicles (ROVs) equipped with hydrogen-powered engines, eliminating the production of CO2 during the combustion process. This innovative technology is also being explored by another renowned Japanese brand: Toyota. In fact, the automotive giant has already produced prototypes for their GR Yaris and GR Corolla race cars, which still utilize the powerful 1.6-liter turbocharged gasoline engine, but have been revamped to operate on hydrogen fuel.

At the beginning of this month, AVL Racetech, a company based in Austria, presented their latest project – a turbocharged 2.0-liter engine powered by hydrogen. The four-cylinder engine is still in its development stage, but it has already been put to the test on a dynamometer, producing an impressive 405 horsepower at 6,500 rpm and 375 pound-feet (510 Newton-meters) of torque at 4,000 rpm. This remarkable performance has led Toyota to believe that hydrogen could be the savior for sports cars with traditional combustion engines.

In the meantime, Yamaha has announced plans to further innovate and examine hydrogen-based engines. Their ultimate objective is to make these engines available for purchase by consumers. While this goal remains in progress, the Drive2 Concierge 4 golf cart will continue to be produced with the traditional internal combustion engine (ICE) as well as a fully electric option. The previous model features a 357-cc single-cylinder gasoline engine, while the electric version boasts a 6.7 horsepower motor.

Yamaha Golf-Car Company - H2 Concept Car