Electric scooter developed by Valeswood ETD Ltd

Cnenlon 2008 electric scooter fitted with hydrogen fuel cell, developed by Valeswood ETD Ltd, 2006

This electric scooter fitted with a hydrogen fuel cell is an example of a period of intense research by the automobile industry into the application of fuel cell technology. Starting in the 1990s and leading to the release of prototypes and concept cars in the 2010s. The challenges around hydrogen-powered bikes are still being researched. For example, in 2017 Honda submitted a patent for a hydrogen motorcycle and the same year the Metropolitan Police started running tests with Suzuki Bergman scooters fitted with hydrogen fuel cells. Based around one filling station the scooters had a maximum range of 75 miles. However, the infrastructure is a limiting factor to large scale adoption.

Developed by Valeswood ETD Ltd., who developed hydrogen fuel cells for a range of vehicles, the scooter was used in research by Dr Alex Bevan at the Department of Metallurgy, Birmingham University. The R&D model is an example of intermetallics beings used as a catalyst in hydrogen fuel cells.