Honda today, June 16, 2008, took the first steps, in Japan, in leasing their FCX Clarity hydrogen fuel cell EV sedan to five Americans and creating the world's first "network" of dealers with the ability to service and repair the first true 21st century vehicles. (Photo - Clarity's world intro was at the Los Angeles Auto Show; Honda's Asimo robot is seen on-screen above car).
Whether or not the ubiquitous Honda robot, Asimo, had a part in the ceremony at the Honda HQ isn't known.
But it's a history-making event; for all the news Toyota and General Motors have made the past few years about developing gas/electric hybrids and fuel cell EVs, Honda has beat them to the PR punch. They were also first in creating a second-sales channel (Acura) in the US for luxury-oriented cars, again proving the adage that Honda is the most progressive of Japanese car-makers. Here's the press release, directly from Honda:
American Honda has announced five of the first customers for its advanced new FCX Clarity hydrogen fuel cell-powered vehicle and also provided details of the world's first fuel cell vehicle dealership network in the United States. The announcements were made during a ceremony for the start of FCX Clarity production at the world's first dedicated fuel cell vehicle manufacturing facility in Japan. (Photos - Honda execs and two of the five "early adaptors" chosen by Honda to receive some of the first FCX Clarity sedans; Below, Clarity's interior).
Film producer Ron Yerxa will take delivery of the first FCX Clarity in July. The remaining four early adopters for Honda's next-generation fuel cell vehicle are author and actress Jamie Lee Curtis and her filmmaker husband Christopher Guest; business owner and car enthusiast Jim Salomon; actress Laura Harris; and Jon Spallino, already the world's first retail fuel cell vehicle customer, who has been leasing the current generation FCX since 2005. Yerxa, Harris and Spallino attended the event in Japan.
To provide its customers with outstanding sales and service support and as a critical step in advancing fuel cell vehicles in the real world, American Honda announced the establishment of the first network of dealers to facilitate the sales and service of fuel cell vehicles. The three Southern California Honda dealers are Power Honda Costa Mesa (Costa Mesa), Honda of Santa Monica (Santa Monica) and Scott Robinson Honda (Torrance).
American Honda is working with its dealer partners to implement processes for fuel cell vehicle lease, delivery and service support for the duration of their leases. Establishing a dedicated sales network and service infrastructure provides customers with the best balance of convenience and the highest quality of service. When the FCX Clarity requires periodic maintenance, customers will simply schedule a visit with their local FCX Clarity dealer. (Photo - FCX Clarity being built in Japan).
American Honda will perform all required work at its specialized fuel cell service facility, in the greater Los Angeles area. Upon completion of the work, the dealer will return the vehicle to the customer.American Honda is working with its dealer partners to implement processes for fuel cell vehicle lease, delivery and service support for the duration of their leases. Establishing a dedicated sales network and service infrastructure provides customers with the best balance of convenience and the highest quality of service. When the FCX Clarity requires periodic maintenance, customers will simply schedule a visit with their local FCX Clarity dealer. (End of Honda release).
OK, apart from the very positive feelings engendered by this announcement, a couple of other thoughts: First, involving show business-types as three of the first five "early adopters" may not go over as well in the US as it might in Japan; secondly, Honda should have staged this event in their US headquarters in Gardena, CA, and third, while the emphasis on Southern California people, places and dealerships is understood to be necessary, Honda would have done well to involve FCX Clarity-intenders from other parts of the US. (Photo - Rear running shot of FCX Clarity).
If we remember right, during the first few years Saturns were sold in the US and the GM division was
heavily promoting the company's desire to take the best care possible of their customers, Saturn mechanics would on occasion fly to the ends of the earth to service customer cars. We remember one case of a Saturn wrench flying to Alaska to service a customer's car, and Saturn made a TV commercial about that event and it garnered them a lot of positive feedback and brought new customers into their stores all over the country.
Certainly FCX Clarity cars are nowhere near as numerous as Saturns were in their early days; in fact, four of the five FCX fuel cell sedans for its first group of five customers probably haven't even been built yet. But spreading the cars around the country a bit might have been a great way to begin the leasing of FCX Clarity EVs in the US and is no doubt something which Honda will attempt as soon as they think it makes sense for them.
In any event, big-time props to Honda for beating some much bigger competitors to the finish line in this, the very first "race" of putting hydrogen-powered fuel cell EVs into the hands of the American public.
(Photo - Fuel cell stacks being manufactured at Honda facility; we wonder if the robot is a cousin or friend of Asimo).
For first official factory specifications on Honda's FCX Clarity, click below.
About the FCX Clarity (Photo - Honda FCX Clarity at Honda Motor of America HQ in Gardena, CA).
(Info from Honda press release) The FCX Clarity is a next-generation, hydrogen powered fuel cell-powered 
vehicle. Propelled by an electric motor that runs on electricity generated in the fuel cell, the vehicle's only emission is water, and its fuel efficiency is three times that of a modern gasoline-powered automobile. Based on the entirely-new Honda V Flow fuel cell platform, and powered by a highly compact, efficient and powerful new Honda V Flow fuel cell stack, the FCX Clarity marks the significant progress Honda continues to make in advancing the real-world performance and appeal of the fuel cell car. Significant advances over Honda's previous generation FCX include:
- an advanced new four passenger sedan design
- a greater than 30 percent increase in driving range up to 280 miles*
- a 25 percent increase in combined fuel economy to 72 miles/kg-H2*
(74 mpg GGE <miles per gallon gasoline gallon equivalent energy>) - a 50 percent improvement in fuel stack power output density by volume
- a 40 percent smaller and 50 percent lighter new lithium ion battery pack
Honda is responsible for the development of the world's first fuel cell car (Honda FCX) to be certified for regular commercial use by the U.S. EPA and California Air Resources Board; the first deployment of a fuel cell car with a fleet customer; and the first individual retail customer for a fuel cell vehicle. (Photo - FCX Clarity was the pace car at Honda-owned Twin Ring Motegi race track for the recent Indy Racing League event in Japan where more history was made as the Honda 300 race was won by Danica Patrick).
*Based on official 2008 EPA estimated range and fuel efficiency values (End press release).
Congratulations to Honda and all the other car-makers and suppliers involved in the development of hydrogen fuel cell EV cars, trucks and motorcycles (and Yamaha already has shown a prototype fuel cell two-wheeler at the Tokyo Motor Show). They are truly "building the future" as the world readies for a hydrogen-based economy ... and hydrogen is the most plentiful element in the universe, so there should be plenty to go around! (Photo - Honda executives from Japan and the US made the world introduction of the car at the Los Angeles Auto Show in late 2007).
Comments