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Suzuki Motor Corporation has developed a compact fuel-cell vehicle called the SX4-FCV and has received approval from Japan's Minister of Land, Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism to test it on public roads.
Suzuki has been developing fuel-cell vehicles in partnership with General Motors (GM) since 2001. Thus far, it has tested three fuel-cell minivehicles on public roads with ministerial approval: the MR Wagon-FCV and Wagon R-FCV in October 2003 and the MR Wagon-FCV again in December 2004.
The SX4-FCV delivers superior running performance by means of a GM-made high-performance fuel cell, a Suzuki-developed 70MPa hydrogen tank and a light, compact capacitor that recovers energy during brake application and uses it to reduce fuel-cell loading during acceleration. Suzuki plans to test the SX4-FCV on public roads and use the results in development aimed at future commercialisation.
The company recently announced that it had exceeded the one million units global production mark for its popular compact car, Suzuki Swift.
Aggregate Swift production has passed the one-million-unit level three years and eight months after the first unit rolled off the line in Japan. The Swift has reached this milestone quicker than any other Suzuki compact car.
The Swift offers a range of sporty features, enhanced performance with a choice of upgraded engines, automatic/manual transmission choices and a specially developed chassis system.
"Exceeding the one million production mark for Swift is another feather in the cap for Suzuki," said Takeo Fukuda, deputy staff manager, Middle East and Africa, Marketing Group (Automobile), SMC.
