SUZUKI CROSSCAGE CONCEPT

One of Suzuki’s concepts at the Tokyo Motor Show is the Crosscage. It’s an example of Suzuki using green concepts in a high-performance, high-style way.

Suzuki enlisted the help of the British company Intelligent Energy for the power unit, a compact and lightweight fuel cell combined with a lithium-ion battery and an electric motor. You may remember Intelligent Energy as the makers of the ENV bike, (say “en-vee”) a fuel-cell and electric hybrid bike. The Crosscage concept uses Intelligent Energy’s thin-membrane-construction fuel cells and a lithium-ion battery (unlike the ENV, which uses lead-acid batteries), to “combine safety with a low environmental burden,” according to the Suzuki press release.

Despite the eco-friendly copy, the bike looks performance-oriented, and the chassis is as unique as the drive system. The “crosscage” design uses large-diameter tubing and a unique center brace on each side. The front and rear wheels use single-sided swingarms, and overall there is an emphasis on light weight, which should equate to good handling, not to mention longer battery life.

Hydrogen as a cheap, readily available fuel source is many years away, so don’t look for a bike like this in showrooms soon. But as a message that Suzuki can design environmentally conscious vehicles that are still sporty and fun to ride, the Crosscage is loud and clear.