Europe Meets Mazda RX-8

Stacey Wilson
August 4, 2006

The Mazda Motor Corporation has started leasing out their Mazda RX-8 Hydrogen RE vehicle. This is a car that could actually run on two kinds of fuel namely hydrogen and petrol. And it uses a rotary engine. The very first country to benefit from this kind of vehicle is Mazda’s own, Japan.

And now, the continent of Europe would be meeting face to face with this exceptional car come the 22nd of August this year. Mazda decided on bringing this vehicle out to the public as its way to letting the motoring public know and learn about the benefits and advantages that hydrogen vehicle brings.

The whole European event would be happening as part of the ONS2006 occasion. It would be an exhibit as well as a conference on the motoring world that would be taking place in Stavanger, Norway. And since Norway would also be opening up its first hydrogen filling station, Mazda has also made sure that the Mazda RX-8 Hydrogen RE would be present during such an event.

Brage W. Johansen, the manager of the newest hydrogen filling station Hydrogen Group, says, “The hydrogen station in Stavanger is the first step of a long and exciting journey for hydrogen and we are very proud to have Mazda present at the opening. Hydrogen has always suffered from the classic chicken and egg debate: the car manufacturers wait for a fuel distribution network to be set up, and the fuel suppliers for cars to be produced. In the end we decided to take a risk and build the first station and as you can see, already the first cars arrive.” And this proves to be quite an exciting turn out of events for the Europe motoring world.

Fuel would certainly be no problem for the Mazda hydrogen vehicle. However, since the Mazda RX-8 Hydrogen RE is still new in Europe, the main concern though of consumers would be sources of Mazda auto parts that would be made just for this car.