Hydrogen-Powered Honda FCX to go Into Production - Automobile.com Honda Auto News

Several months ago at the Tokyo Motor Show, Honda introduced a wind cheating, earth friendly, fuel cell-powered concept called the FCX. Several weeks ago in Detroit at the NAIAS, Honda quietly announced that they would build a production vehicle based on the FCX concept. With the advancements theyve made for this latest generation of hydrogen-powered fuel cell vehicles, a production model will be ready within three to four years. It will probably be available only to a small group of alternative fuel loyalists and devotees, and likely only in Japan or possibly California where Honda previously introduced the FCX-V4 of which a portion of 30 examples found their way into government fleets (see new vehicle preview section of this website for January 16, 2003: 2003 Honda FCX-V4 Preview) and at least one famiy (see automotive news section of this website for July 3, 2005: Honda Tests Hydrogen-Powered FCX with Private Family for First Time), but the packaging solutions Honda has developed for hydrogen storage as well as their clever Home Energy Station, alleviating the need for widespread hydrogen refilling stations on the road, point the way around many of the obstacles, or detours, on the road to the hydrogen highway and zero-emission culture of the future.

Many of the advancements with the new FCX center around Hondas V Flow fuel cell platform. The cells are stacked vertically in the center tunnel and arranged in a vertebral layout (think of it as though the stacks are your backbones if you are lying on your back) for higher efficiency packaging as well as more efficient management of gas flow (from top to bottom). Another breakthrough was in the realm of storage, and with a newly developed higher absorption material in the tanks which allowed Honda to double storage capacity. The FCX can achieve a real-world driving range of over 350 miles.

The fuel cells work by collecting energy from the conversion of hydrogen and oxygen into water, which gives off electricity. In the case of the FCX, the energy is then fed to three efficient motors, two compact 25kW motors in each of the rear wheels and a larger energy-efficient 80kW motor in the front. The three motors combine to make a total of 100kW, and the primary emission is water, which flows through those vertical stacks more easily than the usual horizontal arrangements.

Another advantage of the V Flow fuel cells vertical arrangement along the center tunnel is that it frees up huge amounts of space for the interior. The floor is lower and the front dash pushed forward for cavernous space for all passengers, and the low floor also lowers the cars center of gravity, benefiting handling and giving the concept a low-slung space bullet look.


Maybe its just how low and streamlined the shape of this car is, but it looks long, really long, until you get right next to it and realize its no longer than your average large sedan; but its profile makes it seem Lamborghini low - perhaps it is, I didnt pull out my tape measure to tell you the truth. Its shape is a definitive tear drop for the top profile, and is just about the most aerodynamic shape achievable for a car, with rear fender spoilers leading into a back deck that also looks like it might provide some extra downforce.
The interior is also spacious, and pretty spacey, too, like it might be an interior set left over from 2001: A Space Odyssey. Clean, wide-open surfaces in light colors picked out with organic shapes and optical illusion floor surfaces, with cradling chairs and integrated unseen technology. One feature that blew me away when I saw it in action at the Detroit show was the nav system, which renders in full 3D, tilting down to street-level perspective for upcoming turns, then floating up overhead for long straights. Apologies to Hondas show stand people who had to wipe down all the fogged up windows as I had my face pressed to the glass to get a better look. Another feature that stood out from the press release are sensors that detect eye movement to specific menu icons, and then activate the switches accordingly, for truly hands-free and silent operation of onboard functions.

I also really like the living room they have the FCX parked in front in one of the press photos, with one chair, a stand-up CD player and stand-up speaker with a shiny reflective floor, bare white walls [the future, where white is the new color], and a super-panoramic seamless window, outside of which is parked the FCX, right by its home hydrogen-generation refueling station.

And that brings me to the last item relating to this revolutionary concept: Hondas Home Energy Station (HES). The HES is an all purpose energy station for home and vehicle energy needs. When fed a steady diet of natural gas (which, at the molecular level, consists mostly of carbon and hydrogen) that is readily available in most residences, the HES converts the gas to straight hydrogen. The hydrogen is then stored for future use, piped into your hydrogen-powered car, or used by the HES for its own set of fuel cells to generate electricity for the home. The system not only reduces carbon dioxide emissions by some 40 percent, it also is expected to lower the total running cost of household electricity, gas and vehicle fuel by 50 percent. Who wouldnt want to save 50 percent on their gas bill? [Crazy people, thats who, and maybe the guy that who just bought Exxon stock, and probably the Saud family!]

That just about wraps up the FCX news. As I mentioned earlier, it wont be hitting North American shores any time soon, but it is definite progress, and the Home Energy Station is a great solution to the lack of hydrogen fuel stations to refill hydrogen cars of the future. I doubt the concept could be patented, only the specific technology in it, so any company selling hydrogen cars can sell its own stations if they develop their own technology or through partnerships with home energy suppliers. Prices will be stratospheric to begin with, but that doesnt come close to how much Honda, and other companies intensively researching hydrogen fuel cells (GM, Ford and BMW come immediately to mind, not to mention Ballard), have invested in this technology. And when the time comes, they will be poised to make a killing as the leaders in the hydrogen race, just as Toyota is ahead of the pack with hybrids, and when that happens, the other car companies that lag behind will be feeling, well, green with envy.
wont be hitting North American shores any time soon, but it is definite progress, and the Home Energy Station is a great solution to the lack of hydrogen fuel stations to refill hydrogen cars of the future. I doubt the concept could be patented, only the specific technology in it, so any company selling hydrogen cars can sell its own stations if they develop their own technology or through partnerships with home energy suppliers. Prices will be stratospheric to begin with, but that doesnt come close to how much Honda, and other companies intensively researching hydrogen fuel cells (GM, Ford and BMW come immediately to mind, not to mention Ballard), have invested in this technology. And when the time comes, they will be poised to make a killing as the leaders in the hydrogen race, just as Toyota is ahead of the pack with hybrids, and when that happens, the other car companies that lag behind will be feeling, well, green with envy.