The Honda FCX Clarity: A fuel cell car for 2008

by Bruce Watson
May 30th 2008 @ 1:03PM

Filed under: Cars and Transportation, Gadgets and Tech, News, GreenTech, Alternative Energy

If you've been watching the fuel-cell news lately, you might have noticed that General Motors has been making quite a big deal about their fuel-cell car. Boasting a 300-mile range and snappy acceleration, GM's Sequel will, supposedly, be on the road in 2010. Hopefully, there will be enough hydrogen fueling stations to make the car a feasible reality!

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!