All this while, I have the impression that a hydrogen-powered vehicle has to be at least car-size to be feasible, or at least chunky like the Kawasaki Ninja HYSE. But nope. It does not. Enter the Yamaha Motor H2 Buddy Porter Concept, a two-wheeled oddball that makes “hydrogen on a scooter” sound like the most casual thing in the world.
This pint-sized pioneer is the product of Yamaha Motor teaming up with Toyota. While Toyota handled the clever part—developing a new compact, high-pressure hydrogen tank that is actually small enough for scooters—Yamaha took on the grunt work of creating the hydrogen engine, chassis, and everything else to make sure the Buddy Porter didn’t just explode into a science experiment on wheels.
The Buddy Porter complies with Euro 5 emissions standards, including those tricky NOx regulations, which means it isn’t just some pie-in-the-sky lab toy.
On a full tank, the H2 Buddy Porter Concept can cruise for over 100 km (62 miles). That makes it perfectly suited for daily urban runs while quietly showing the world that hydrogen doesn’t have to be all race cars and heavy-duty trucks. It can also be light, playful, and dare I say, kind of adorable.
Whether it makes it to production is still unknown, but Yamaha has shown that the hydrogen dream doesn’t have to be grandiose. Sometimes, the revolution rolls up looking like your everyday scooter—only it runs on fuel fit for the future.
The Yamaha Motor H2 Buddy Porter Concept will also make its first appearance at the Japan Mobility Show 2025.
Images: Yamaha Motor.
