by: Jenny McLane
Mazda has always been a leader in innovation. It has pioneered some of the revolutionary technologies such as the rotary engine. Now that environmental conservation has become a more important issue than ever before, Mazda faces up to the challenge by fully supporting the development of eco-friendly automobiles. Hydrogen-fuel is one of the cleanest and most environmentally friendly sources of energy. Mazda takes a big step forward in realizing a hydrogen-fueled society by launching the first hydrogen filling stations, located in Japan.
The new hydrogen filling station began operating last February 2005 and will store and supply fuel to the company's ongoing hydrogen vehicle research and development. The hydrogen filling station is located near Mazda's global headquarters in Hiroshima. This is the first filling station of its kind in the Chugoku region of western Japan.
High-pressure hydrogen gas is stored at about 2,900 psi in compressed hydrogen gas tanks. These are further pressurized to over 5,000 psi for delivery to the vehicles. The facility mainly supplies fuel to the company's hydrogen testing facility. Hydrogen rotary-engined vehicles that are currently on the road for development and testing purposes are also served by the filling station. The stored hydrogen in the fueling station can currently fuel up to 10 vehicles per day.
Mazda is leading the pack in the development of hydrogen rotary engines. Last year, Japan's Ministry of Land Infrastructure and Transport (MLIT) gave permission for the first public road tests of Mazda's RX-8 Hydrogen Rotary (H2RE). This is a rotary-engined, dual-fuel vehicle that runs on either hydrogen or traditional gasoline. With this hydrogen fueling station, Mazda will continue to develop hydrogen rotary engines with the goal of introducing such vehicles into the market in two years time.
Mazda is at the forefront of automotive technology. It is fully dedicated to the design and development of automobiles that are a whole new level above the rest. Meanwhile, maintenance and repair is very important to keep a Mazda vehicle in top condition. Replacement parts are a great choice if a Mazda owner wants to keep his car in excellent form. Replacing worn out or damaged parts is a good way to maintain a vehicle.
Incidentally, purchasing replacement parts has never been easier. Anyone can now have access to the best Mazda parts even in the comfort of their own homes. A quick visit to any of the dozens of online auto parts stores is all you need. One of the leading online auto parts stores is Auto Parts Train, based in California, USA. It has one of the largest inventories of Mazda auto parts in the country today. You can access their Online Mazda Parts Store at http://www.partstrain.com/ShopByVehicle/MAZDA.