Honda FCV fuel-cell sedan
Honda is getting into the hydrogen fuel-cell game with the tentatively-named FCV – announcing Wednesday it will debut the sedan in production-ready form at the upcoming Tokyo Motor Show.
"The all-new FCV features a cruising range of more than 700 kilometres and exhilarating driving made possible by the high-output motors," reads a statement. "When combined with an external power feeding inverter, this FCV can function as a 'mobile power plant' that generates and provides electricity to the community in the case of an emergency."
Technology like this has received a lot of attention in Japan in the aftermath of the 2011 tsunami and nuclear disaster.
Fuel cells convert hydrogen pumped into the car into electricity, which powers the electric motor and emits water.
The entire fuel-cell powertrain is consolidated under the hood allowing for more space in the cabin.
Toyota and Hyundai also offer fuel cell vehicles, but in limited numbers. California is the only state in the United States with infrastructure to fuel a car like the FCV, and there is only one place in Canada do to so – a research facility outside Vancouver. Currently there are only eight Hyundai Tucson fuel-cell vehicles in Canada. Six are leased to British Columbia drivers and two are for test drives. As Globe Drive columnist Peter Cheney recently reported, Hyundai likely loses a significant amount of money on leasing the cars for $529 a month.
Tesla CEO Elon Musk has dismissed the technology, calling it "fool cell" creating a possible showdown in the near future between fuel cells and battery electric cars.
Honda will reveal the car's actual name at the Tokyo debut in late October. The car will seat five and takes design cues from the FCEV and the previous FCV concept.
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