Manufacturer Honda Body style sedan Electric motor fuel cell-powered | Class Mid-size car Layout FF layout | |
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Production 2008–2014 (Honda FCX Clarity)
2016–present (Honda Clarity Fuel Cell) | ||
The Honda FCX Clarity is a hydrogen fuel cell automobile manufactured by Honda. The design is based on the 2006 Honda FCX Concept. The FCX Clarity demonstrates electric car qualities such as zero emissions while offering five minute refueling times and long range in a full function large sedan. It was the first hydrogen fuel cell vehicle available to retail customers. The new generation Honda Clarity Fuel Cell was released in the U.S. in December 2016. Two additional plug-in electric variants will be added to the line-up, the Clarity Electric and Clarity Plug-in Hybrid, both slated for release in the American market in 2017.
Contents
- Specifications
- Design
- Production
- Running costs
- Features
- Reception
- Honda Clarity Fuel Cell 2016present
- Electric and plug in hybrid variants
- Fuel economy ratings
- FCX Clarity
- Clarity FCV
- Pace car in IndyCar series
- Awards and recognition
- References
Production began in June 2008 with leasing in the U.S. commenced in July 2008. It was introduced in Japan in November 2008. The FCX Clarity was available for lease in the U.S., Japan and Europe. In the U.S., it was only available to customers who live in Southern California where several hydrogen fuel stations are available. As of July 2010, a total of 20 FCX Clarity cars were leased for US$600 a month, including collision coverage, maintenance, roadside assistance and hydrogen fuel. There were around 10 others on lease in Japan and another 10 in Europe. One of the reasons for such a low number of cars in the U.S. was a lack of hydrogen filling stations. In 2014 Honda announced to phase out the FCX Clarity. From 2008 to 2014, Honda leased a total of 46 FCX units in the US.
Specifications
The FCX Clarity electrical power comes from a 100 kW Honda Vertical Flow (V Flow) hydrogen fuel cell stack whereby electricity is supplied on demand. In common with many electric vehicles, the car has regenerative braking and uses a separate battery to store energy recovered during braking.
The electric motor is based on the motor used in the EV Plus, rated at 134 horsepower (100 kW) and 189 lb·ft (256 N·m) torque @0-3056 rpm. The range on a full hydrogen tank (4.1 kg @ 5000psi) is EPA certified at 240 miles (~386 km). The vehicle is estimated to get about 77 miles (123.9 km) per kilogram hydrogen in the city, 67 miles (107.8 km) per kilogram highway and 72 miles (115.9 km) per kilogram in combined driving.
Design
The FCX Clarity is about 4 inches shorter than a 2008 Honda Accord. It comes with an innovative cockpit: the display in the dashboard includes a dot that changes color and size as hydrogen consumption grows, to make it easier for the driver to monitor their driving efficiency. A separate display shows the battery power level and another shows motor output. A speedometer is placed above the cockpit display, to make it easy for the driver to keep eyes on the road. In the interior, upholstery on the seats and door linings are made with Honda's Bio-Fabric that is derived from plants which cuts CO2.
Production
The FCX Clarity was produced in Japan at a dedicated fuel cell vehicle assembly line in the Honda Automobile New Model Center (Takanezawa-machi, Shioya-gun, Tochigi Prefecture). The fuel cell stack itself is produced at Honda Engineering Co., Ltd. (Haga-machi, Haga-gun, Tochigi Prefecture).
It is reported that Honda plans to offer hydrogen fuel cell vehicle at costs competitive with gasoline mid-size cars by 2020 although its 2005 hand-built predecessor to the Clarity cost about $1 million.
In July 2014 Honda announced the FCX Clarity would be discontinued and replaced by a new and higher-volume hydrogen fuel-cell vehicle to be introduced.
Running costs
It is reported in 2009 that hydrogen made from natural gas cost about $5 to $10 per kilogram in California. Although it was more than double the equivalent amount of gasoline during the summer of 2009, fuel-cell cars have at least double the efficiency of similar models with a gasoline engine. The FCX Clarity averaged 60 miles per kilogram of hydrogen.
Features
The FCX Clarity's features include an AM-FM car radio with CD player, integration for iPod and iPhone, a USB port, auxiliary input, a voice-activated GPS navigation system, XM satellite radio, cloth seating surfaces, Bluetooth, and digital instrumentation.
Reception
Since the car's unveil at the 2007 Los Angeles Auto Show, it was reported in May 2008 there were 50,000 people inquiring about the car through its Web site.
Honda Clarity Fuel Cell (2016–present)
Retail deliveries of the 2017 Honda Clarity Fuel Cell began in Southern California in December 2016. The Clarity is available in 12 approved Honda dealerships located in select California markets, including six dealerships in Southern California, five in the San Francisco Bay Area, and one in Sacramento. The Clarity Fuel Cell, with range of 366 mi (589 km), has the highest EPA driving range rating of any zero-emissions vehicle in the U.S, including fuel cell and battery electric vehicles. The 2017 Clarity also has the highest combined and city fuel economy ratings among all hydrogen fuel cell cars rated by the EPA, with a combined city/highway rating of 67 miles per gallon gasoline equivalent (MPGe), and 68 MPGe in city driving.
Electric and plug-in hybrid variants
In April 2016 Honda announced that in addition to the new generation Clarity Fuel Cell, two additional variants will be added to the line-up, the Clarity Electric and Clarity Plug-in Hybrid, both slated for release in the U.S. in 2017. The all-electric Clarity EV with 80 miles of range at around $35,000 will be launched first, and the plug-in hybrid model will be launched later in 2017. The plug-in hybrid is expected to have an all-electric range of 40 mi (64 km), and it will be available in all 50 states.
Fuel economy ratings
The following table shows fuel economy ratings from the United States Environmental Protection Agency test procedures for both, the 2014 FCX Clarity and the 2017 Clarity Fuel Cell, expressed in miles per gallon gasoline equivalent (MPGe). One kg of hydrogen is roughly equivalent to one U.S. gallon of gasoline.
FCX Clarity
On 25 July 2007 the United States Internal Revenue Service announced that the Honda FCX Clarity met the requirements of the Alternative Motor Vehicle Credit as a qualified fuel cell motor vehicle. Purchasers of the 2005 and 2006 Honda FCX were eligible for a US$12,000 Section 30B(b) income tax credit, but consumers are not currently allowed to purchase the vehicle, as it is still available only for leasing, and only in Southern California, where public hydrogen refueling stations are available. The tax credit expired in 2014.
The leasing program began in July 2008 at a price of US$600 per month for three years which includes collision coverage, all maintenance and roadside assistance. Honda announced Power Honda Costa Mesa, Honda of Santa Monica and Scott Robinson Honda as the initial dealers, which were chosen for their proximity to hydrogen refueling stations.
Clarity FCV
The Clarity Fuel Cell is eligible for a federal tax credit of US$8,000, as the tax credit for fuel-cell vehicles was given in December 2015 a short-term extension through the end of 2016. As a zero-emission vehicle (ZEV), the Clarity FCV is eligible for a purchase rebate in California of US$5,000 through the Clean Vehicle Rebate Project.
Pace car in IndyCar series
The Honda FCX Clarity was the pace car in 2008 Indy Japan 300 which took place at the Twin Ring Motegi in Tochigi, Japan, April 2008. It also served as the official pace car for the 2011 Honda Grand Prix of St. Petersburg in March 2011.