As expected, the Tokyo Motor Show will likely be yet another stage for the unveiling of the latest and greatest in alternative fuels. Not to be outdone, Suzuki has already unveiled their plans to bring out two new clean energy vehicles, with the possibility of expanding the platforms to other vehicles.
The first vehicle Suzuki is planning on showing off is the previously announced Swift Hybrid, which runs on a plug-in lithium ion battery system. When the batteries run dry, a fuel sipping 660cc petroleum engine kicks on and keeps you moving forward while charging the batteries. Ideally, the Swift Hybrid would be used by commuters who travel less than 12 miles to work, as this is the average range of the lithium ion battery stack.
The seconds of the two vehicles is the SX4 Fuel Cell Vehicle, or SX4-FCV. Suzuki borrowed a fuel cell manufactured by General Motors and adapted it for the SX4 propulsion system, along with a high pressure hydrogen tank and high efficiency capacitor. Regenerative braking also found its way into the bag of tricks.
Both vehicles are being tested on the public road system and are expected to enter production if all the testing is successful.
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