The world’s first hydrogen-powered prototype outboard will make its New Zealand debut at the Hutchwilco New Zealand Boat Show next month.
Earlier in 2024, Yamaha unveiled the world’s first hydrogen-powered outboard for recreational boats along with a prototype fuel system integrated into a vessel that the company plans to further refine for testing later this year. The effort is part of Yamaha’s strategy to achieve carbon neutrality by deploying multiple technology solutions.
Yamaha joined forces with Roush to develop the fuel system to power the new outboard and collaborated with long-time boat builder partner Regulator Marine to build a boat suitable for testing the prototype outboard.
This prototype is based on Yamaha’s 450 HP XTO Offshore outboard platform. The system is currently undergoing testing to determine performance and viability of the technology in the marine market. By working with Roush on the fuel system engineering, Yamaha gains the benefit of more than two decades of hydrogen systems integration and research.
Regulator Marine built a hull based on the 26XO and modified it to accommodate the hydrogen tanks necessary to power the new outboard.
Together, Yamaha, Regulator and Roush displayed the boat hull, fuel system and outboard to demonstrate how hydrogen could work as a possible fuel source in a marine environment.
Also, the effort allows engineers to begin the process of determining marine standards for the use of hydrogen in vessels.
The hydrogen-powered outboard is part of Yamaha’s strategy to achieve operational carbon neutrality by 2035 and product carbon neutral by 2050. Yamaha is taking a multi plan approach to identifying viable marine propulsion systems including electric, hybrid, sustainable fuel and internal combustions applications.
“Yamaha is exploring all possibilities to achieve carbon neutrality, has made commitments for operations to be carbon neutral by 2035, and Yamaha products to become carbon neutral by 2050. That goal within the marine market can only be reached through an approach that leverages multiple solutions. Yamaha believes hydrogen is a viable method of achieving these goals,” says Yamaha Motor New Zealand Marketing Manager, Pete Dick.
“Yamaha wants to be a leader in this space, and encourages others in the marine industry to become involved and be open-minded as we look for ways to build infrastructure and new policy around innovations.”
