Hydrogen Fuel: Honda FCX Clarity Sedan

Honda unveiled the FCX Clarity fuel cell vehicle at the 2007 Los Angeles Auto Show, and an announced that a limited number of southern Californians will have the opportunity to lease one next summer. This is the first time a customer can obtain a fuel cell car directly from a retail dealer. The company is also showing progress with the creation of a hydrogen home fueling station.

A lease on the Honda FCX Clarity will cost $600 per month, including service, maintenance, and collision insurance. The term on the lease will be three-years.

In terms of appearances, the futuristic four-door Clarity will closely resemble the FCX concept, aside from some minor front-end design modifications. The Clarity will be powered by a hydrogen fuel cell stack—running along the car’s center tunnel between the front seats—that generates electricity but produces zero exhaust emissions at the tailpipe. Functional improvements in the FCX Clarity over the previous concept model include a 20 percent increase in fuel economy, a 30 percent increase in vehicle range to 270 miles, and an advanced new lithium-ion battery pack that is 40 percent lighter and 50 percent smaller.