The ENV is an electric motorcycle prototype powered by an hydrogen

Hydrogen

Hydrogen is the chemical element with atomic number 1. It is represented by the symbol H. With an average atomic weight of , hydrogen is the lightest and most abundant chemical element, constituting roughly 75% of the Universe's chemical elemental mass. Stars in the main sequence are mainly...

 fuel cell

Fuel cell

A fuel cell is a device that converts the chemical energy from a fuel into electricity through a chemical reaction with oxygen or another oxidizing agent. Hydrogen is the most common fuel, but hydrocarbons such as natural gas and alcohols like methanol are sometimes used...

. It is being developed by Intelligent Energy, a British company.

Specifications

The vehicle and the fuel cell centre respectively weigh approximately 80 and 20 kilograms. It uses a proton-exchange membrane fuel cell to generate about 8 hp

Horsepower

Horsepower is the name of several units of measurement of power. The most common definitions equal between 735.5 and 750 watts.Horsepower was originally defined to compare the output of steam engines with the power of draft horses in continuous operation. The unit was widely adopted to measure the...

 or 6 kilowatts. The Discovery Channel has indicated it can reach approximatelly 80 km/h and, on a full tank may ride continuously for about 4 hours and travel a distance of 160 kilometres. The motorcycle is a preproduction prototype

Prototype

A prototype is an early sample or model built to test a concept or process or to act as a thing to be replicated or learned from.The word prototype derives from the Greek πρωτότυπον , "primitive form", neutral of πρωτότυπος , "original, primitive", from πρῶτος , "first" and τύπος ,...

, which will sell for approximately $6000.

External links

• Intelligent Energy
• Business Week article
• Fuel cell motorcycle, The Discovery Chanel, reproduced at youtube.com, Oct 11, 2006