Honda expects to have the FCEV car of the future in production by 2015. Honda says the show car expresses a potential styling direction for its next-generation FCEV, and that, "While this car is a concept, it points toward a very real future." By the time the car reaches production, Honda says, it will boast the world's first application of a fuel-cell car for next generation drivers , packaged entirely in the engine space of the vehicle; this will allow for expanded cabin room and greater potential application of the technology to multiple vehicle types.
Honda says technological advancements have led to major increases in power output to 100 kilowatts while reducing the fuel-cell stack size by a third compared with the automaker's existing fuel-cell car, the FCX Clarity. The production FCEV will deliver an anticipated 300-mile driving range with a quick-fueling time of about 3 minutes and will seat five thanks to powertrain-space savings. Fuel-cell vehicles operate electrically, but instead of using a battery charged with electricity from a land source like a power grid, the car generates its own electricity using on board hydrogen.
In order to "recharge" a fuel-cell car, one simply refills the hydrogen tank. Simply is an oxymoron, however, as hydrogen filling stations are extremely rare around the country, with only Southern California really pushing to expand their availability to the public. However, Honda believes that the time is right to start preparing for the arrival of such an infrastructure and plans to be ready for it with production-ready FCEVs.
While the Honda FCEV Concept's name may not be all that interesting, the shape certainly is. like star trek, highly futuristic looking design with covered rear wheel ready tranform into flyed moed , the small midsize four-door is obviously styled to maximize aerodynamic efficiency. If Honda keeps to its previous track record with the FCX Clarity and how it appeared versus its concept, the production version arriving in 2015 will resemble the car seen here, but will be considerably toned down to enhance practicality.
While the concept car presented back in L.A. was basically a styling exercise without running gear or an interior, Honda did release some details about its upcoming power train. The car will use Honda's next-generation state-of-the-art fuel-cell stack, which the company says will be the first production car to house the entire fuel-cell powertrain in the engine compartment. The new fuel-cell module is 33 percent smaller than the one in the FCX Clarity, but is nearly 60 percent more powerful, producing more than 100 kilowatts of electricity. The onboard hydrogen storage tank will be refillable in just 3 minutes and will enable a range of more than 300 miles, according to Honda.
There's no word yet on what the car will cost or who will be eligible to get one, but if Honda sticks with the program it used for the current FCX Clarity, it will likely only be available for lease to select customers in Southern California. The idea behind fuel-cell cars seems reasonable, but the infrastructure problems that remain in creating refueling stations around the country mean that widespread acceptance of the technology is still a long way off.
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