(Wed 15 Oct 08)

Mazda's hydrogen-fuelled RX-8 has arrived in Scandinavia to take part in the Hydrogen Road of Norway (HyNor) project.

HyNor involves the creation of a hydrogen energy infrastructure along a 360-mile route between Oslo and Stavanger which has been supplied with hydrogen filling stations since the first one was opened in August 2006. On that occasion, Mazda gave the RX-8 prototype its first on-road demonstration outside Japan (and we drove it - see feature).

A few months earlier, in April 2006, Mazda started leasing hydrogen RX-8s to government bodies and enterprises in Japan. The car introduced to the HyNor project will be the first to take part in regular road trials on foreign ground.

"Participation in the HyNor project marks our advancement to the next stage," says Mazda's Akihiro Kashiwagi. "After we validate the first vehicle on Norwegian roads, we intend to deliver 30 more units under commercial lease contracts. Mazda plans to use the wealth of data and experience that will result from this project for the further development of hydrogen vehicles."

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