Honda's Hydrogen-Powered FCX Clarity Coming to the US, and It's a Celeb-Magnet

World's First Fuel Cell Plug-in Hybrid
Ford Edge with HySeries Drivetm is the world's first drivable fuel cell hybrid electric plug-in that combines an onboard hydrogen fuel cell generator with lithium-ion batteries to deliver more than 41 mpg with zero emissions.

The plug-in hybrid is powered by a 336-volt lithium-ion battery pack at all times. The vehicle drives the first 25 miles each day on stored electricity alone, after which the fuel cell begins operating to keep the battery pack charged. This provides another 200 miles of range for a total of 225 miles with zero emissions.

An onboard charger (110/220 VAC) can refresh the battery pack when a standard home outlet is available, making the concept a true plug-in hybrid.

Innovative Drivetrain
The HySeries Drive name is derived from the powertrain's structure: a hydrogen fuel-cell-powered series hybrid drivetrain. This highly innovative approach reduces the size, weight, cost and complexity of a conventional fuel cell system by more than 50 percent. It also promises to more than double the lifetime of the fuel cell stack.

Impressive Fuel Economy
The HySeries Drive powertrain delivers a combined city/highway gasoline equivalent fuel economy rating of 41 mpg. For those who drive fewer than 50 miles each day, the average jumps to more than 80 mpg. Individual experiences will vary widely and can stretch out the time between fill-ups to more than 400 miles: drivers with modest daily needs would need to refuel only rarely, drivers who travel less than 50 miles each day will see fuel economy well over 80 mpg, while those with long daily commutes will see somewhat lower numbers as the fuel cell must run a larger fraction of the time.

Future Flexibility
The vehicle is built on a flexible powertrain architecture that will enable us to use new fuel and propulsion technologies as they develop without redesigning the vehicle.

Making Hydrogen Vehicles Viable
Certainly, many significant technical hurdles need to be overcome before a vehicle such as the Edge with HySeries Drive can become a reality. Fuel cell vehicles remain expensive, costing millions of dollars each. And the single biggest hurdle to plug-ins remains the cost of lithium-ion batteries. Much work also needs to be done to make fuel cells more durable and to create a hydrogen infrastructure.

On the Road
We currently have a fleet of 30 hydrogen-powered Focus fuel cell vehicles on the road as part of a worldwide, seven-city program to conduct real-world testing of fuel cell technology. The fleet has accumulated more than 300,000 miles since its inception.

As a hydrogen infrastructure is developed and implemented for the fleet at each location, lessons learned are being generated to ensure that the customer and hydrogen fueling interface is seamless and customer friendly.

Where does one get hydrogen? I've been doing some research: equivalency of 20gal. of gasoline, in hydrogen it would weigh 2000lbs. they don't mention 5000 psi. to boot. "Robert Zubrin", scientist author, book: Energy Victory. Remember the electric charging stations at Costco? Today's media uses omissions of information to make the accuracies of an event un-true.

Hey, buddy, can you read? If not, have someone translate this for you. "Please keep your comments relevant to this blog entry." If we wanted to watch sex tapes, we would probably we on a different website, not one which is wrought with something making you money and has malicious codes strung throughout. If you want publicity for your website, pay for it like everybody else and keep your crap to yourself.

Where does one get hydrogen? I've been doing some research: equivalency of 20gal. of gasoline, in hydrogen it would weigh 2000lbs. they don't mention 5000 psi. to boot. "Robert Zubrin", scientist author, book: Energy Victory. Remember the electric charging stations at Costco? Today's media uses omissions of information to make the accuracies of an event un-true.

What is so great or green or clean about electric or hydrogen powered vehicles when the power comes from coal fire power plants?

Hydrogen Cars are probably the best option that has come out so far. They are very safe - Safer than Gas cars by far. If your fule cell gets a leak the gas floats away un like a gas car. If a gas car gets a a leak the gas soaks every thing it touches. If the fule is ignited in a gas car, your car burns with the gas. If a fuel cell ignites (this is very un likely) The fule burns as a small jet away from you and the car up in to the air (it looks like a flame comig out of a lighter). It's safer than gas because you don't get soaked in it to burn along with every thing else it's touching. It burns claen no harmfull emitions at all. Hydrogen is probably the most abundant element in the universe so we won't run out of it and the price would stay low because it is so plentiful. Sounds great right? There are a few draw backs but they will be over come soon with improvements in technology etc. 1. You don't get the same horse power from a hydrogen car as you do a gas car. 2. Where will you buy the hydrogen? Untill it is readily available at fule stations it isn't practical. 3. There are very few hydrogen refineries for fule stations to get the fule from and it is an enourmous cost to build new refineries. We already have a lot of oil refineries and they are making much more money than a hydrogen refinery could because of the high demand for oil, and even if there was a demand for hydogen fuel it is so plantifull they still won't make much profit on it. Over all Hydrogen could be a great answer to our fule problems but until the public demands it it will just remain a good idea.

Ok Here it is for you people that didn't go or didn't pay attention when you went to high school. The Hydrogen Fuel Cell. is very clean when used as a ElectroChemical device. (Did any of you know there are 2 kinds? The electrochemical & Combustion). The problem is that

As most have noticed You cant just by it at Walmart.

You have to have a constant flow of Hydrogen which means you will have to fuel up quite a bit. It takes a lot of room or a tank under a lot of pressure to keep hydrogen in constant supply.

Hydrogen is a very unstable chemical. Does anyone remember the Hindenburg? It blew up because of its containing Hydrogen. In an accident the tank will likely rupture & GO BOOM very quickly.

It takes a lot of power & environmentally unfriendly processes to manufacture, transport, contain, distribute the fuel.

What will we do with all of the unsafe & environmentally unfriendly fuel cells when they are at the end of their life span. They are full of stuff that isn't easily disposed.

As usual the 'environmentalists' become republican capitalists when they stand to make the money.
I'm not for either. I dislike both sides. They both lie cheat & steal to confuse & take advantage of regular people

At $1million.....these are very exclusive cars.....no infrastructure for fueling them ......think I'll hope that the Dims allow drilling for oil.

I was there when the Hindenberg blew up----- Could this happen to a hybrid?

I remember reading a very interesting article a while ago, I think it was in Popular Science, that detailed a furnace that would/could eventually replace the one in your home. I think it was powered by the natural gas that was already used to run your current furnace, but this furnace also created hydrogen, electricity and hot water. The article suggested that in the future every home might have a hydrogen furnace, with several safe underground tanks built with your home. One to store hydrogen (you would have a dispensor in the garage that you would fill your automobile with), one for the water the furnace would make, and one for the hot water you could store. You would never get a city water bill, or a city electric bill (as well, the excess electricity could be sold back to the city if you made more than you needed), and you would never have to spend money on fuel for your auto again. Now I know this all sounds kinda like science fiction, but I seem to recall the furnace as pretty basic. I wish I could have passed along a link to this article, but searched today and could not find it. If you can find it please post a link. I have thought about this hydrogen furnace for the home many times since I read that article, and truly believe this will be the future. Of course there will need to be advances (like non explosive holding tanks) and affordability (a furnace like this would NEED to be a part of the cost of building your home, as to pay for it you would probably need a mortgage!) but I would be the first in line to buy a house like this, so that I could be first in line for a car like the Honda FCX Clarity. What about you?