Honda FCEV Concept
Honda unveiled its FCEV Concept fuel cell car at the Los Angeles Auto Show on November 20, 2013. The Honda FCEV is an improvement over previous fuel cell powered cars that have been tested in both the United States and Japan.
 Honda FCEV Concept |
Unlike the older model, the FCX Clarity this new model features a five passenger seating which has been made possible by an improved fuel cell stack that fits completely inside of the engine compartment.
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The Honda FCEV has a new 100 kW fuel cell stack that is 33-percent smaller than that of the Clarity with 60-percent more power density. The range of the new FCEV Concept is around 300 miles, which compares favorably to the Clarity which is around 240 – 270 depending up driving conditions.
In order to make hydrogen cars work correctly, the Honda FCEV is highly aerodynamic. This reduces resistance from wind, but also makes the car look like a stealth fighter jet. Consumers will either love or hate this futuristic looking car. It has many sharp edges and very few curves in it.
Inside the interior is spacious and allows the seating of up to five passengers. The drive train is electric which makes the car quiet and it runs almost silently. Finally the interior seating is what you would expect to find in a premium vehicle.
Will the public adapt to a hydrogen powered car? Honda is betting that they will. However it’s not for certain that the idea will take. The big questions surrounding the hydrogen car industry is who is going to build the infrastructure?
Other companies are sitting back and waiting to see how this experiment turns out for these auto giants. Since fossil fuels are a finite resource and the public is generally concerned about climate change, it is plausible that the world may be ready for vehicles such as the Honda FCEV.
Update: On January 12, 2015 the Honda FCV made its official North American debut at the Detroit Auto Show. According to a Honda representative, the FCV is just another iteration of the FCEV which was debuted about a year earlier. See the related links below for more details.
Related Links
https://www.hydrogencarsnow.com/index.php/hydrogen-cars/hondas-new-fcev-design-is-kinda-sketchy/
http://automobiles.honda.com/honda-fcev/
http://automobiles.honda.com/honda-fcv/