India's TVS Motorcycles Developing Hydrogen Hybrid Scooter

Feb 16, 2024

Hydrogen fuel cells could power bikes like TVS Motor's current iQube electric scooter. Photo: TVS

We have recently published several articles about the potential of hydrogen to power motorcycles and scooters. Well, now it seems that Indian moto manufacturer TVS is joining the hydrogen power bandwagon.

Yamaha, Suzuki, and Honda have already demonstrated hydrogen fuel cell powered bikes. While those demonstrator prototypes didn’t go far, it seems that hydrogen technology is again headed to powered two-wheelers.

India’s TVS Motors, the new owner of Norton and a partner of BMW (i.e., the BMW G 310 GS and G 310 GS) reportedly manufactures more than 2.5 million bikes annually. They have the technology and the workforce to bring a high-tech hydrogen fuel cell bike to market, and it seems that they may be well on their way. British motorcycle outlet MCN says they uncovered a TVS patent application showing TVS’ first try at a hydrogen fuel cell powered scooter.

TVS Motors logo. Image: TVS

They say that the patent application makes ease of assembly and servicing high on its list of priorities. Interestingly, they also say that the TVS scooter is unlike any of the prototypes produced by other companies.

In the case of the TVS scooter, hydrogen is in two canisters. They clamp to the front downtube of the scooter’s frame and sit in front of the rider’s legs. MCN says this setup makes them easy to attach and remove.

The two canisters are reportedly linked by pipework with the canister’s filler nozzle at the front of the bike near its headlight. In addition, a battery sits under the scooter’s floorboard, just behind the canisters. It will provide extra performance on demand as well as a storage device for energy scavenged during deceleration or braking. Finally, the hydrogen fuel cell stack is placed under the scooter’s seat, which MCN says will make it easier to install during manufacturing and remove if required.

As for the scooter’s electric motor, MCN says the patent doesn’t provide any detail. However, they think it would be a hub-mounted unit similar to the one on TVS’ existing iQube battery-powered electric scooter.

It’s interesting to see that moto manufacturers are also looking at hydrogen power. It could solve some of the issues associated with electrically powered two-wheelers, particularly recharging. For example, a recharge of a hydrogen-powered fuel cell could take only minutes or seconds instead of hours.