Yamaha hybrid scooter for production?

Yamaha showed a new hybrid scooter at last week’s Tokyo Motor Show and it’s thought the clever petrol and electric technology may well make production in 2010.

The concept bike was kept mysteriously out of the main talk of the Yamaha bosses on stage but it appears this bike is the latest evolution of the Gen-Ryu bike we saw a couple of years ago.

The HV-X combines a 15KW electric motor with a 250cc four-stroke single and uses both manual and auto shut off of the petrol engine to increase fuel efficiency.

When stopped or at low speeds, the petrol engine stops making the bike a purely electric vehicle for up to a reported 12.5 miles, before the engine sparks to life again.