FCX Clarity Hits The Road, Port Authority Detours BMW Hydrogen 7
Honda has begun to deliver its FCX Clarity hydrogen fuel cell vehicles to customers in California. The company hand-picked about 200 notable customers to receive the car, which is available only as a lease through just three dealerships in that state. The FCV program is more of a demonstration than a money-maker for Honda, and the company cites the climate and environment as the primary motivators behind the Clarity.
The FCX Clarity offers the functional equivalent of 74 mpg and a 280-mile range between refueling. The first FCX Clarity drivers must live within a defined distance of a hydrogen refilling station. Currently, there are 46 stations in the US, most of which are in the western part of the country. The Clarity is a zero-emission vehicle but low production numbers are expected to minimize the first vehicles’ impact on the environment.
Hydrogen FCVs face an uphill battle in terms of consumer acceptance. As indicated by the low number of filling stations, driving the car will always be problematic until the infrastructure catches up with the technology. The cost is also a factor. Right now, the vehicle is too expensive for most consumers to consider. The current monthly lease cost of a FCX Clarity is $600 on a three-year agreement.
Recently, in New York, the issue of hydrogen FCV safety came to a head when the Port Authority in New York City forbade the New York Times from test driving the BMW Hydrogen 7 through the Lincoln and Holland tunnels and across the lower deck of the George Washington Bridge. The chilly reception is the product of fears that the highly explosive hydrogen poses a genuine threat to public safety with regard to roadways and infrastructure. To date, California has not posed similar restrictions on the FCX Clarity.
July 29, 2008 - by Hybrid Car Chat · Filed Under Hybrid Cars |
