Young Chris Kevin
Japan’s third largest auto manufacturer—Honda, is now introducing the latest member of the hybrid world. Its name is FCX Clarity. This zero-emission vehicle runs on both hydrogen and electricity, which uses a hydrogen fuel cell for power. Honda, being the maker, claims that the FCX Clarity has only water as its emission, with no poisonous gases that are known to be the causes of global warming. It has an energy efficiency that is twice as an ordinary gas-electric hybrid and thrice of a traditional gasoline-powered vehicle.
The FCX Clarity is an improvement of its earlier version—the FCX. It is a generation fuel cell vehicle that was introduced six years ago. With advancement in the fuel cell stack, the company engineers had made a lighter body, expanded interior, and increased efficiency. The fuel cells are supplied with energy coming from the chemical reaction between oxygen and hydrogen gas. There is also a lithium-ion battery that acts as a supplemental power source. With all these innovations, the FCX Clarity, in its weight of 3,600 pounds, could run up to 100 miles per hour.
This year, Honda has a plan to lease out a few dozens units of this hybrid and is eyeing to make it up to 200 units within three years. In California, the amount per month of its lease will be $600, which includes both maintenance and collision repairs.
Still, there are seen hindrances in the global commercialization of the FCX Clarity. At the top of the list is the cost. The other is the lack of hydrogen fuel stations. In fact, Honda stated that as of now, there are already about 50,000 people who are applying to them through their site for its lease. With the problem in the location of the hydrogen fuel stations, they only consider those people who live near the stations in Torrance, Santa Monica, and Irvine.
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