The Honda FCX Clarity: A fuel cell car for 2008
Other car manufacturers are also working on getting their fuel-cell cars up and running. DaimlerChrysler, for example, has the B-class fuel cell car, a nifty little subcompact with a range of 250 miles. It's easy to see why fuel cell-propelled automobiles are one of the major goals that manufacturers are pursuing. In addition to producing almost no noise, the exhaust from these cars consists of distilled water. If a fuel cell infrastructure can be developed, and if hydrogen can be produced in scalable quantities, then this may be the salvation of the auto industry.
In the meantime, Honda has begun producing the FCX Clarity, a fuel cell-propelled car with a range of 270 miles and a top speed of 100 mph. Beginning in the summer of 2008, Honda will be releasing the Clarity in the Torrance, Santa Monica, and Irvine areas of Southern California. They are offering a three-year lease that covers all maintenance at a cost of $600 per month. Given the current price of gasoline, that might be a great deal!
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Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)
5-31-2008 @ 1:29PM
Aaron Martin-Colby said...
Something tells me that this will just be another EV-1. Hydrogen fuel cells are a pipe dream -just talk to any scientist who ISN'T in the auto industry- and I think that any interest in this is bad and diverts attention away from a true, viable alternative in electric cars.
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5-31-2008 @ 1:34PM
Bruce Watson said...
Aaron-
While there's currently a lot of problems with large-scale fuel cell car production, to call it a pipe dream is shortsighted. Not only does that perspective shut the door on what could be a major solution to a major problem, but it fails to acknowledge the fact that hydrogen fuel cells work. For starters, they have been in use since the 1960's; in fact, they powered most of NASA's spacecraft.
While I acknowledge that much remains to be done before fuel cells provide all the answers that we need, the same could be said of any alternative fuel technology. I'm sure that the petroleum companies would love to have us preemptively stop research into numerous technologies, I'm not sure that doing so is in our best interests.
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6-01-2008 @ 1:07AM
Aaron Martin-Colby said...
Bruce,
I agree with you. I'm saying that we should not be paying attention to what, for the rather immediate use I would like to see, is a pipe dream. Hydrogen cars are unproven and at least a bit pie-in-the-sky. Electric cars are not.
I think viable, $30k electric cars with ranges exceeding 250 miles are less than five years away. I feel that is where all our attention should be to best eliminate our thirst for oil.
6-01-2008 @ 1:16AM
Bruce Watson said...
Aaron,
I understand where you're coming from. The thing is, other groups are making use of hydrogen fuel cells. Some stores have started using them for power, and Connecticut is opening a fuel cell powered high school this fall. If the infrastructure and scalable economics develop for powering buildings and businesses, then it seems likely that a hydrogen cell car program would be able to piggyback.
Beyond that, I think that you and I might just have differing perspectives on the route that we need to take for an oil alternative. I understand where you're coming from and, in all honesty, you may well be right--perhaps we need to put all our eggs in one basket when it comes to development. I guess I'd prefer to see researchers pursuing as many options as possible, particularly options that seem promising.
I talked about sustainability with a green engineer--he said two things that keeps coming back to me: one was, if we all do exactly the same things to pursue sustainability, then we're going to find ourselves in the same problem that we're in now. Frankly, there aren't ANY options that are scalable right now. The second thing was that every little bit helps. Fuel cells are a little bit, but they could help.
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6-10-2008 @ 3:57PM
simon salloom said...
My wife was considering getting one of these cars because we live in Santa Monica I guess she is eligible. It's just that there are so many crazy drivers in monstrous SUVs out there. I'm worried about her safety. We bought a BMW wagon instead.
Here is some info on Santa Monica's Green City initiatives for anyone who's interested: # On the West Coast, Santa Monica wants to be the nation's first "Net Zero" city. Through energy efficiency, solar and other renewable energy, the city envisions generating clean energy that matches its total energy consumption. This will help leave Santa Monica Real Estate cleaner and healthier for all.
I have a bit more about this on my web-site on Santa Monica Real Estate http://www.santamonicarealestatesearch.com
You can also go to my Santa Monica Real Estate Blog: http://www.santamonicarealestatesearch.com/simonsays.html
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6-18-2008 @ 7:11PM
Enrico Foschi said...
This content has been Agglom (erated) with other similar ones on http://www.agglom.com/agglom/53 - Honda FCX Clarity
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6-24-2008 @ 3:21PM
Thomas Lunsford said...
I have the impression that some people think fuel cell cars and electric cars are completely different. Not. Fuel cells are batteries that will not go dead like lead acid batteries. Fuel cells do not require oil fueled engine-alternators to be recharged. As long as there is a source of hydrogen (1 kg), they will keep running. Mass production will drive down the prices. Car manufactures are reluctant to mass produce until hydrogen filling stations and service dealers are in place and vice versa.
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