Segway will solve range anxiety with hydrogen

Starting as a personal mobility device creator some years back, Segway is slowly moving into motorcycle territory with its recent electric scooter products. Soon it could battle more established motorcycle brands as its latest concept suggests it wants to start making full-size, street legal supersport motorcycles.

That new concept is the Segway Apex H2. Unlike the other electric motorcycles we’ve seen in the past, the Apex H2 is a bit different because it uses two power sources; batteries and hydrogen.

Segway reveals electric-hydrogen hybrid supersport image

This new sporty motorcycle features styling seemingly out of Tron or a futuristic anime with single sided swingarms (both front and rear), LED lights, and a very minimalist design.

Besides the cool look, the Segway is also environmentally friendly. Naturally, most electric motorcycles are generally judged by their range. As such Segway hopes to remedy this with its dual power source. It has onboard batteries that can power it, but can also get power from compressed hydrogen canisters.

Segway claims its concept can produce 60 kW of power (80 horsepower), reach zero to 100 km/h in 4 seconds, and achieve a top speed of 150 km/h.

Segway reveals electric-hydrogen hybrid supersport image

Being a fully electric system, the Apex H2 likely integrates a hydrogen fuel cell system into its power unit. This means that when the batteries run out, it can run on hydrogen. It basically takes compressed hydrogen from the canisters and oxygen from the air and combines them to create H2O (water). The atoms pass through a special membrane and the process also generates electricity. Segway claims just a gram of compressed hydrogen can power it for one kilometer. The concept bike itself appears to be capable of carrying three canisters which may be around one Kg each.

It’s still a concept so there weren’t many details released. Segway did promise a release date of 2023. Still, the dual power source will certainly solve any range anxiety. The only problem will be where to get compressed hydrogen. So far, only countries like the US and Germany have such facilities. That means it may take a while before it lands on our shores.

Still, it’s a big improvement from the last electric motorcycle Segway showed off some years ago. Let’s hope this one actually makes it to production.