GAME CHANGER
Yamaha's Hydrogen Outboard
Come see us at Stand 350 Hall 3 - Hutchwilco Boat Show, 15-18 May 2025
Last year Yamaha took the covers off 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.
The effort is part of Yamaha’s strategy to achieve carbon neutrality: 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.
By working with Roush on the fuel system, 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 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.
The effort allows engineers to begin the process of determining marine standards for the use of hydrogen in vessels. “Yamaha is exploring all possibilities to achieve carbon neutrality, and have made commitments for our operations to be carbon neutral by 2035 and our products to become carbon neutral by 2050.
Ben Speciale, President, Yamaha U.S. Marine Business Unit says "We believe hydrogen is a viable method of achieving these goals.
Yamaha wants to be a leader in this space, and we encourage others in the marine industry to become involved as we look for ways to build infrastructure and new policy around innovations.”