FCX Clarity, Honda’s Zero-Emission Car, Arrives from Japan

This ties in with my post a few weeks ago about Japan’s potential as a Green leader. Last November, Honda unveiled its new zero-emission car at the Los Angeles Motor Show. On Monday, June 16th, the first wave of vehicles arrived in Southern California to a celebrity welcome reception. There are only a handful of lucky owners so far, including Jamie Lee Curtis and her husband Christopher Guest (This Is Spinal Tap, A Mighty Wind),
but they’re doing their best to spread the word.

The Honda FCX Clarity runs on synthesized energy from hydrogen, gas and oxygen from the air. It also contains a back-up lithium battery. According to Honda, “the car is two times more energy-efficient than a gas-electric hybrid and three times that of a traditional, gasoline-powered car.”

Why are the cars only available to a select few in California? Because in most U.S. cities, refueling is not an option. Here in L.A. there are several hydrogen filling stations (okay, Torrance and Irvine aren’t exactly the greatest places on earth, but you’ve gotta start somewhere). Japanese customers will begin receiving the cars this fall.

You’d think the FCX would resemble a fantasy car of the future, but actually it doesn’t look all that different from a Civic.

With the price of gas skyrocketing, Honda isn’t the only manufacturer looking to ramp up exploration and production of alternative-fuel cars. Japan’s #1 car company, Toyota, is not about to relinquish its hold on consumers and announced plans for a plug-in hybrid in 2010, as well as their own version of the hydrogen fuel cell by the end of 2008.

May the best car win!

Sarah S.

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