Yamaha will bring an electric three-wheeler and a hydrogen-combustion dune buggy to the Tokyo motor show in a bid to bring “unfiltered joy” to the world of urban mobility.
The Yamaha Tricera is similar in concept to the Morgan Super 3 and 3 Wheeler, featuring an open-sided cockpit with seating for two.
The powertrain and chassis are “highly responsive”, according to Yamaha, introducing a novel rear-wheel steering system. This is said to sharpen the Tricera’s turn-in response. This steering can also be controlled manually, reportedly providing “the sense of accomplishment that comes when acquiring and developing new driving skills”.
The firm added: “Modern mobility is shifting toward automated driving, but that is precisely why Yamaha Motor is going back to basics.”
The Yamaha Tricera is not expected to become a production model, but the motorcycle manufacturer has historically shown an appetite for vehicles with more than two wheels.
In 1992, it unveiled the OX99-11, a two-seat sports car that would have featured a 400bhp V12 had it not been axed in 1994. Since then, it has helped with the development of several high-performance engines, including those in the Lexus LFA and Lexus RC F.
Autocar reported in February 2022 that it was also working with Toyota to convert the RC F’s 5.0-litre V8 to hydrogen combustion, a technology that could significantly reduce the net carbon emissions of conventional engines.
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