Clean ride

New Delhi, Feb. 21: Autostudi, designer for Italian car companies such as Maserati, Ferrari, Fiat and Alfa Romeo, has rolled out its prototype two-wheeler hybrid fuel cell-based scooter.

Christened Hysyrider, only some scooters have been produced by Autostudi in Italy.

The company is yet to decide on making the product commercially available, for which it needs to receive clearances from the Italian government.

The product, now being showcased at the International Engineering and Technology Fair (IETF), is designed “to be used in closed areas such as exhibitions, airports, harbours and historical city centres”the company said.

Still at a conceptual stage, Hysyrider runs at a speed of 20 km per hour, generating a power of 300 watts. Its battery has to be charged every two hours.

“The product is at a very initial stage and has a lot of room for modification. It will be subjected to a lot of changes,” said sources.

The Hysyrider has been commissioned by the Piedmont region and the Turin Chamber of Commerce. The aim was to integrate the work of regional hydrogen research centre HysyLab with the technological capabilities of a group of companies operating in the automotive industry.

The vehicle has an in-built hydrogen storage system, which stores fuel made by 20 cells in a low-pressure 0.5 physical litre capacity.

Once the hydrogen is produced, the auxiliary power system stabilises the output voltage, which is then made available to the motor of the scooter, which powers the wheels.