8th Generation Honda Civic Forum - View Single Post - Honda announces first fuel-cell production car

**webby** · 11-15-2007, 01:48 PM

Honda announces first fuel-cell production car
Thu 15 Nov, 2007, 17:05

Honda is to manufacture a fuel-cell car for public sale, making a world first. A production version of the FCX concept saloon will go on sale in the United States and Japan in the summer of next year, selected owners having the opportunity to lease the car for three years at a price of $600 (under £300) including maintenance.

The FCX is electrically propelled, electricity generated by its fuel cell, seats four and comes with luxury equipment that includes an infotainment system, air-conditioned seats and a premium hi-fi. It is a little bigger than a Honda Accord, and looks largely similar to the concept version previously seen. In contrast to that car its body is made from steel, and it now has a conventional radiator grille, but otherwise looks much as for the original concept.

The car will be leased only in very localised areas because of the very limited availability of the hydrogen fuel it runs on - in the Los Angeles area of California there are currently three refuelling stations, only one of them 24/7, limiting its use to people who live within 100 miles or so of a station. The FCX has a range of 270 miles. But new hydrogen fuel stations are scheduled to open - there will be 11 by the end of 2008, and 19 in the area by 2012, with many more coming after that as part of California governor Arnold Schwarzenegger's plan to build a 'hydrogen highway.'

Honda believes that zero emission hydrogen fuel cell cars are the ultimate solution to the car pollution problem, and has invested vast - though undisclosed - sums in the project. It will be making a substantial loss on the FCXs that it leases - though to be around a hundred vehicles, possibly more - but the data it gathers from real-world customers will enable it to come a stage closer to its goal of selling fuel cell cars in quantity.

11-15-2007, 01:48 PM	#21 (permalink)
webby Acorns! Join Date: May 2005 Location: Storage Room B Posts: 13,392 iTrader: 11 / 100%	Honda announces first fuel-cell production car Honda announces first fuel-cell production car Thu 15 Nov, 2007, 17:05 Honda is to manufacture a fuel-cell car for public sale, making a world first. A production version of the FCX concept saloon will go on sale in the United States and Japan in the summer of next year, selected owners having the opportunity to lease the car for three years at a price of $600 (under £300) including maintenance. The FCX is electrically propelled, electricity generated by its fuel cell, seats four and comes with luxury equipment that includes an infotainment system, air-conditioned seats and a premium hi-fi. It is a little bigger than a Honda Accord, and looks largely similar to the concept version previously seen. In contrast to that car its body is made from steel, and it now has a conventional radiator grille, but otherwise looks much as for the original concept. The car will be leased only in very localised areas because of the very limited availability of the hydrogen fuel it runs on - in the Los Angeles area of California there are currently three refuelling stations, only one of them 24/7, limiting its use to people who live within 100 miles or so of a station. The FCX has a range of 270 miles. But new hydrogen fuel stations are scheduled to open - there will be 11 by the end of 2008, and 19 in the area by 2012, with many more coming after that as part of California governor Arnold Schwarzenegger's plan to build a 'hydrogen highway.' Honda believes that zero emission hydrogen fuel cell cars are the ultimate solution to the car pollution problem, and has invested vast - though undisclosed - sums in the project. It will be making a substantial loss on the FCXs that it leases - though to be around a hundred vehicles, possibly more - but the data it gathers from real-world customers will enable it to come a stage closer to its goal of selling fuel cell cars in quantity.