Honda's Hydrogen-Powered FCX Clarity Coming to the US, and It's a Celeb-Magnet
Honda announced today that it would begin producing limited quantities of its FCX Clarity hydrogen fuel-cell vehicles for sale in the US and Japan over the next few years. According to the automaker, it plans to offer around 200 of the zero-emission cars in the next three years, with a few dozen models expected on the road this year leased at around $600 a month.
Of course, you'll have to be on some mighty exclusive list to get one of these babies, a list that's populated by -- naturally -- celebs including Jamie Lee Curtis and Christopher Guest, Linda Harris ('24'). When it comes to green motoring, hydrogen-powered vehicles are the new black in Hollywood -- according to USA Today, Magic Johnson and Ugly Betty's America Ferrera drive GM's hydrogen-powered Equinox, while Edward Norton, Cameron Diaz, and Brad Pitt drive a limited production, gas-hydrogen hybrid by BMW.
Said John Mendel, a senior vice president at Honda, "It's an especially significant day for American Honda as we plant firm footsteps toward the mainstreaming of fuel cell cars." Now all they have to do is get more than 3 fueling stations out there and we'll be all set. [Sources: CNN, AOL News/AP, Physorg.com]
Read - Honda rolls out fuel cell car
Read - Honda starts producing next-generation fuel cell car
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Reader Comments (Page 1 of 2)
Tony said 3:37PM on 6-16-2008
Why only make a few when there's an oil crisis today. Just another way the major industries toy with us. The product is available for only a few. What gives?
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klytus said 4:47PM on 6-16-2008
Remember when cell phones first came out? Only the rich and powerful could afford them. Today, almost everyone can afford one. It's the nature of the beast: new tech is expensive, so until the cost to manufacture it gets to a point where they can afford to price it more cheaply, it will be a Rich-Boy-Toy only. Besides, the hydrocen fuel cell car needs more than just people to buy it - they need to have enough places where people can get the "gas" for the car in order to make them useful.
the Rob Man said 10:01PM on 6-16-2008
There is not yet an infrastructure to deliver the hydrogen fuel to the consumer...
Did you think that the thousands of gasoline stations would just "switch over" to hydrogen tonight?
Braaahaahaahaahaahaa!
David said 11:49PM on 6-16-2008
Because it's a sh*t load of money to buy. That's why they lease hydrogen-powered for the general public and not sell them.
Michael said 6:32PM on 8-12-2008
If only you people would spend as much time researching H2, as you do writing uninformed posts about it. The problems you all mention have been explained numerous times for the past five or so years. Rather than post a long rebuttal, I suggest you google "Twenty Hydrogen Myths" by Dr. Amory Lovins of the Rocky Mountain Institute. Have fun reading!
Melissa said 11:05PM on 6-16-2008
Common sense, Tony. Unless you live near Torrance, California, what are you gonna do with with one of these cars? Do you realize how much time it will take before hydrogen is offered nationwide? One step at a time, buddy. Like any other smart business, Honda needs to get some of these out there, see how well they're liked, and how well they sell. As the popularity of hydrogen-powered cars goes up, we will see an increase in the number of gas stations that offer hydrogen. Supply and demand. If there's little demand, there'll be little supply.
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Joe said 8:31PM on 6-16-2008
Hydrogen is great fuel for rockets as long as there are no
uh-ohs. For cars? I don't know....
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Lee said 5:57PM on 6-17-2008
I remember when I suggested this to a teacher in chemistry class and was ridiculed in front of thewhole class. It was clearly explained to me that the temperature would be two hot for the metal to take. I hope he is watching this from up above.
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Mike said 10:01PM on 6-16-2008
I really wish some people (and companies it would seem) would stop dreaming about hydrogen cars. The tech is probably at least a decade away, more likely two. The cost for building the infrastructure necessary would be enormous. I don't think the cars would ever be affordable to the average person (i.e. 20-30k).
In my humble opinion the answer for our current situation is plug-in hybrids (PHEV) or all electric vehicles. With the improvements that have been made car manufacturers could start making them within the next two years. Even taking into account the electricity coming from coal plants they still are cleaner than todays model of cars. With most people recharging at night (off peak rates for even cheaper recharges) there would be no overtaxing of the power grid. The real beauty is that with more and more of our power coming from renewables every year, the cars would actually get cleaner as they got older.
Please do yourselves, and all of us a favor and visit:
http://www.calcars.org
For lots of great up to date info.
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David said 12:02AM on 6-17-2008
The government should be mass producing solar panels for homes. And make the auto companies either make electric or solar-powered cars. Hydrogen-power is just a rip-off; they are just substituting one expensive commodity (gas) for another soon-to-be expensive commodity (hydrogen gas).
susan said 10:01PM on 6-16-2008
I thought the natural gas cars sounded good as well. Wonder we we aren't seeing more of those as well. I am cynical in nature and truly believe that we have the technology but I'm guessing the patents are held by oil companies and they would never allow for high mileage cars to get made. Then they wouldn't have the profits that they have been seeing for the past year!!!
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john said 10:21PM on 6-16-2008
OK...hydrogen fuel cells. Problem is, the main components are easily obtainable from water. Google HHO gas and see. The auto makers are in bed with oil companies on this, folks. The technology is here to dump straight water into a fuel cell and electrically separate the Hydrogen and Oxygen, but the oil companies won't be able to sell you Hydrogen gas for $5 a gallon, now would they? Let alone the $billions it will take for the supporting infrastructure. Hmmmm....think about how they are planning to screw us on the green energy revolution!
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The Ween said 10:56PM on 6-16-2008
I'll wait for the compressed air car.
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T said 12:58AM on 6-17-2008
Hydrogen power cars won't be hitting in masses until bit Oil can figure out how to corner the hydrogen fuel cell market and make huge profits! Lets see....how about $5 per gallon for hydrogen...you laugh?
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ken said 7:53PM on 6-19-2008
i would take one of these i have a hydrogen station within 15 miles of me, they are out there
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Vicio said 12:35AM on 6-17-2008
Rent the movie, Who Killed The Electric Car? and it will make you so angry to see what the auto makers and the oil companies have done to us.
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bob said 1:37AM on 6-17-2008
I did and you're right- It was more sinister than even my cynical mind could conjure up. Pure evil, deception, greed. If GM had spent the intervening years perfecting the EV their stock would be soaring. But NO, they were short-sighted and went for the quick buck selling gas hogs.
N M said 1:49AM on 6-17-2008
Hydrogen fuel car...Hmmmm well the good thing that comes out of this, is that to find an accident involving this type of vehicle, you can always find the accident location by looking for the mushroom cloud hovering overhead.
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db said 11:03AM on 6-18-2008
we the people.must come to the conclusion that we have power. economic power which we can use in this way
1. stop buying gas . sound's stupid
2. stop going to work . sound's even stupider don't it
3. don't pay the mortage , auto insurance . gas or electric .insanity ?
no these entiedies will cry out to the goverment for help so bad that change will have to be made... , but enough people are required to make this work. for which entide would want to pay expences , and not have income to support it ? none of them
use your power. before it's to late.
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Theo said 11:03PM on 6-18-2008
here's a car to look at: http://www.aptera.com This car can get 300 miles to the GALLON for the gas/electric hybrid. It's being offered in California only for the first year or so, then the rest of the world as soon as they research and implement needed additions.
good news: there are better alternatives for ethanol than corn and soy, namely, switchgrass and algae. An algae farm the size of Maryland can produce enough ethanol to supply the entire airfleets of the world. Just imagine what we could do with larger farms in the deserts and cold reaches of the world. Best yet: the technology is here!
good news part two: there are methane crystals in the ocean that can supply 110% OVER demand, providing we can find a safe way to process them. Canada has a head-start on this. They are a completely renewable resourse.
good news part three: there are electric/human hybrid vehicles available, which takes care of two problems: renewable power and obesity. If your teenager wants to borrow the car, they'll have to go out and pedal a bit to charge up the batteries. Sit back and imagine that... = )~ Happy thought, isn't it? Or "mommy/daddy, I need to go to fill-in-the-blank!" Start pedaling, kid!
Put "human/electric hybrid' into the Google search engine and see what's out there.
good news part four: solar and wind power are getting cheaper and easier to use.
Start reading Popular Science, Popular Mechanics, and Scientific American, among others, keep on top of what's out there. It's pretty mind-blowing.
Then there's good old conservation and consolidation that everyone is expounding. Lot of cons, yeah? Whatever hits Big Power and Oil Corporations in the wallet and makes them go "yikes!" and keeps money in YOUR wallet can't be all bad.
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