First Drive: 2009 Honda FCX Clarity on the road
It's ironic that the FCX Clarity debuted at this time in this place just weeks after much of the surrounding hillsides were engulfed in flames. Fires at this time of year are pretty typical in this region, but 2007 was especially bad after a long period of drought. Global warming probably didn't cause these fires, but the high temperatures and strong winds certainly amplified the problem. We turned off the PCH by the Pepperdine University campus and headed up Malibu Canyon Rd.
Amidst the recently scorched surroundings of the Malibu hills, the electric drive of the FCX proved once again that torque is key to driving pleasure in the real world, much more so than horsepower. The electric motor only puts out 136 hp but the 189 lb-ft torque is available instantly when you press the go pedal. When the demand for forward momentum exceeds the output of the fuel cell, a lithium ion battery mounted under the rear seat provides extra electrons to the get the motor spinning faster. The single-speed transmission mounted co-axially with the motor also means no shifts to interrupt the flow of acceleration.
Pressing the pedal on the left brings plenty of negative acceleration. The pedal feel is firm and the brakes modulate easily. The electronic braking controls seamlessly blend friction and regenerative braking. During light to moderate braking most of the kinetic energy that's dissipated gets fed back into that lithium ion battery for re-use later. Pressing the pedal harder adds in friction braking as needed. Don't bother asking who the battery supplier is or what kind of chemistry it uses. I asked several Honda reps and got nothing more than non-committal smiles.
What you don't get is noise of any significance. The muted hum of the motor is barely audible and the slick aerodynamics mean no wind noise either. It's not quite as tomb-like as a Lexus but it's quieter than an Acura RL. Through the twists of the canyon road, the Clarity always remained flat and stable. With the lightweight structure and all the hardware mounted low in the chassis, the FCX probably has a very low center of gravity which combines with the double wishbone suspension to keep everything under control. None of the surfaces we tried were quite up to the quality standard of Michigan roads I'm used to, so it's hard to really judge the ride quality but it certainly didn't feel any worse than a new Accord.
On the way back down the canyon, we stopped by the Malibu Presbyterian Church which was destroyed by the fires. One has to wonder if a world full of cars like the FCX spewing nothing but water from their exhaust might have alleviated the severity of the inferno. Perhaps, perhaps not, but either way one thing is certain. Looking at the FCX Clarity strictly as a car, ignoring the advanced power source, it comes across as an exceptionally roomy, quiet, fine handling car with decent acceleration and modern styling. Oh yeah there's no toxic emissions either. But if you skip over that last part, it's just a really good car.
Getting one will be somewhat more problematic than driving one. When they launch next summer, they will be available in Japan and in Southern California in limited numbers. To get one you'll have to live within reasonable proximity of one of the hydrogen filling stations. Honda is also looking for customers who have a reasonably high income and a multi-car household. The main reason for the latter is so that if customers need to take a longer trip they have an option. The Clarity might have a 270-mile range, but filling stations are still extremely limited. The Nav system is programmed to pull up locations of hydrogen stations and give directions if needed.
If you do qualify, the Clarity will cost you $600 a month for three years which will get you the car, maintenance and collision insurance. The insurance is because the actual cost of the cars is still high enough to be prohibitively expensive. Unlike with GM's Project Driveway, lessees will have to pony up for fuel. However, that shouldn't be too painful. The FCX averages 68 miles/kg with 1 kg of hydrogen having almost the equivalent energy content to a gallon of gasoline. A new four-cylinder Accord averages in the mid-twenties on gasoline or about one third of the FCX's mileage.
As for the cost of hydrogen, the stations that currently exist in California are selling it for about $5/kg retail. With gasoline currently running close to $4/gallon in the same area, the FCX will be a lot cheaper to operate. Assuming 25 mpg at $4, an Accord would cost $43.20 to drive 270 miles. The same distance in an FCX Clarity at $5/kg will run $19.85. That's not a bad deal for taking a huge leap into the future. When it comes to concerns about cars being taken back at the end of a lease, the rationale is that this technology is still developing.
The current price point is still well below the cost and Honda will likely reclaim these particular units at some point in the future as the vehicles evolve. Neither Honda nor anyone else is exactly sure where it's going to go although Honda seems fully committed to the program. Current Honda fuel cell vehicle lessees like the Spallino family have had their leases extended until the new cars are available. Moving forward as manufacturing costs drop and hydrogen hopefully becomes more available at retail, the program will evolve and grow. For now, Honda is the first to make dedicated fuel cell-powered car that, aside from geographical fueling restrictions, requires essentially no compromises from drivers. It's as fully functional as any mid-luxury sedan on the market today with all the expected amenities, lower-than-normal operating costs and a style doesn't look out of place in one of the most affluent areas of this country.
Amidst the recently scorched surroundings of the Malibu hills, the electric drive of the FCX proved once again that torque is key to driving pleasure in the real world, much more so than horsepower. The electric motor only puts out 136 hp but the 189 lb-ft torque is available instantly when you press the go pedal. When the demand for forward momentum exceeds the output of the fuel cell, a lithium ion battery mounted under the rear seat provides extra electrons to the get the motor spinning faster. The single-speed transmission mounted co-axially with the motor also means no shifts to interrupt the flow of acceleration.
Pressing the pedal on the left brings plenty of negative acceleration. The pedal feel is firm and the brakes modulate easily. The electronic braking controls seamlessly blend friction and regenerative braking. During light to moderate braking most of the kinetic energy that's dissipated gets fed back into that lithium ion battery for re-use later. Pressing the pedal harder adds in friction braking as needed. Don't bother asking who the battery supplier is or what kind of chemistry it uses. I asked several Honda reps and got nothing more than non-committal smiles. What you don't get is noise of any significance. The muted hum of the motor is barely audible and the slick aerodynamics mean no wind noise either. It's not quite as tomb-like as a Lexus but it's quieter than an Acura RL. Through the twists of the canyon road, the Clarity always remained flat and stable. With the lightweight structure and all the hardware mounted low in the chassis, the FCX probably has a very low center of gravity which combines with the double wishbone suspension to keep everything under control. None of the surfaces we tried were quite up to the quality standard of Michigan roads I'm used to, so it's hard to really judge the ride quality but it certainly didn't feel any worse than a new Accord.
On the way back down the canyon, we stopped by the Malibu Presbyterian Church which was destroyed by the fires. One has to wonder if a world full of cars like the FCX spewing nothing but water from their exhaust might have alleviated the severity of the inferno. Perhaps, perhaps not, but either way one thing is certain. Looking at the FCX Clarity strictly as a car, ignoring the advanced power source, it comes across as an exceptionally roomy, quiet, fine handling car with decent acceleration and modern styling. Oh yeah there's no toxic emissions either. But if you skip over that last part, it's just a really good car.
Getting one will be somewhat more problematic than driving one. When they launch next summer, they will be available in Japan and in Southern California in limited numbers. To get one you'll have to live within reasonable proximity of one of the hydrogen filling stations. Honda is also looking for customers who have a reasonably high income and a multi-car household. The main reason for the latter is so that if customers need to take a longer trip they have an option. The Clarity might have a 270-mile range, but filling stations are still extremely limited. The Nav system is programmed to pull up locations of hydrogen stations and give directions if needed.
If you do qualify, the Clarity will cost you $600 a month for three years which will get you the car, maintenance and collision insurance. The insurance is because the actual cost of the cars is still high enough to be prohibitively expensive. Unlike with GM's Project Driveway, lessees will have to pony up for fuel. However, that shouldn't be too painful. The FCX averages 68 miles/kg with 1 kg of hydrogen having almost the equivalent energy content to a gallon of gasoline. A new four-cylinder Accord averages in the mid-twenties on gasoline or about one third of the FCX's mileage.
As for the cost of hydrogen, the stations that currently exist in California are selling it for about $5/kg retail. With gasoline currently running close to $4/gallon in the same area, the FCX will be a lot cheaper to operate. Assuming 25 mpg at $4, an Accord would cost $43.20 to drive 270 miles. The same distance in an FCX Clarity at $5/kg will run $19.85. That's not a bad deal for taking a huge leap into the future. When it comes to concerns about cars being taken back at the end of a lease, the rationale is that this technology is still developing.
The current price point is still well below the cost and Honda will likely reclaim these particular units at some point in the future as the vehicles evolve. Neither Honda nor anyone else is exactly sure where it's going to go although Honda seems fully committed to the program. Current Honda fuel cell vehicle lessees like the Spallino family have had their leases extended until the new cars are available. Moving forward as manufacturing costs drop and hydrogen hopefully becomes more available at retail, the program will evolve and grow. For now, Honda is the first to make dedicated fuel cell-powered car that, aside from geographical fueling restrictions, requires essentially no compromises from drivers. It's as fully functional as any mid-luxury sedan on the market today with all the expected amenities, lower-than-normal operating costs and a style doesn't look out of place in one of the most affluent areas of this country.
Reader Comments (Page 1 of 3)
yt 9:22AM (2/16/2008)
Honda is trying its best to wean us off using oil to run our cars. I love it, but we need stations that sells compressed hydrogen across North America. These stations would have to be able to produce hydrogen without using oil or or electricity from our current electric company.
Any investors out there that have the foresight of seeing a potential way of making money and perhaps a fortune by building "hydrogen station?"
I doubt any current gas stations would convert or would supply hydrogen, because of conflict of interest. As more and more people own hydrogen driven cars, the less gas they will be selling.
We need new stations that provide hydrogen for cars across the nation.
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bobaka 12:44PM (4/08/2008)
and NO POLLUTION... oh...except of course for the power plant that makes the electricity that makes the hydrogen.
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Joshua 4:16PM (4/10/2008)
Have any of you heard of the MDI car?
http://www.theaircar.com/acf/
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QmqpGZv0YT4
the youtube link really says it all!
$7000 for a car that doesn't need gas is the right way to go!
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PB Rudshagen 2:38PM (6/12/2008)
Oxygen is still part of the balance isn't it?
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JonnyWonder 11:52AM (6/16/2008)
Quite the respectable way to ween our energy dependence. It's unfortunate that the economies of scale are still not in place yet to make this a profit-producing car. While it's true that small, light, gas cars can get the same mileage as the FCX, the FCX's fueling will boost the domestic economy. And with multiple fuel sources competing for market share, the mideast oil barons will actually have to compete, bringing oil prices lower. Now get that production cost down!
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Ahsan Syed 11:04AM (4/24/2009)
I think so that Honda is much better than Toyota, Suzuki, Nissan and Mitsubishi.
Honda is comfortable and easy to drive. We drove Honda Civic to 205 km/h and
It was a great speed but when we drove Toyota Corolla it travel at speed of 180 km/h.
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Jerry Hightower 4:01AM (11/19/2007)
Honda is light years ahead of everybody else with this vehicle. I'm sure they will gain a vast amount of knowlege from these leases. Way to go Honda. Honda is a much better design than the much overrated Toyota.
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dialing_wand 8:38AM (11/19/2007)
@ Jerry:
That's a bit of an overstatement (to put it mildly.) I'm no Toyota fanboy, but the current Prius model (gen 2) has been around for about 10 years now. Add to that this car (Clarity) looks like a giant Prius (in shape) and uses a hybrid electric/hydrogen engine.
Yes, it's clear that this is an importantly evolutionary step; comparing the Clarity to a 10 year old design (that has been in full production over those 10 years) and saying the later is overrated in comparison, is a little far fetched.
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dialing_wand 8:39AM (11/19/2007)
Correction: Prius has been around for 10 years, Gen 2 - 5.
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Moose 10:01AM (11/19/2007)
The Prius is highly over-rated, in that the MPG estimates of 45+ aren't regularly reached except by the most aggressive hyper-milers. And even if you are averaging 45MPG in a car that's zero fun to drive, you're really gaining very little fuel savings over a much more fun car that gets 36mpg (of which there are many).
The Prius is a status symbol, and little more. Its impact on fossil-fuel dependency is really very small.
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Don 3:34PM (8/13/2008)
I recently bought a 6 year old Prius and regularly average in excess of 55 MPG. I typically drive at or just below the speed limit, and occasionally check the MPG display, but I do not consider myself to be a hyper-miler. As far as fun to drive - maybe I am just a dull sort of geek who doesn't need single digit 0 to 60 acceleration to find pleasure in a vehicle. The 400 CI Goat that I drove in the 60s was fun, but I've grown up since then. Maybe it's time the rest of the world did too.
J.Crew 11:41AM (11/19/2007)
For starters, this is one very cool car and good job Honda for producing it. However, if GM did this and said "lease only, please return at the end with no option to buy" this forum would blow up in anger. People will fall in love with this car the same way they did with the EV1 and others that were once available. Please remember that it is a lease this time with no option to buy!
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JM 1:32PM (11/19/2007)
Hondo or Toyota, it doesn't matter to me. Yes, in the end they're really all about making a profit, but in the process, they're making a positive impact to the environment as they try to innovate and outdo each other.
I like the progress Honda has achieved - this is testament to their engineering prowess. Not bad for this car to achieve 68 miles per kg of H2, without sacrificing torque. Honda is indeed light years ahead in this technology; and factor in Honda's good tract record of reliability, you have a really sweet (though still expensive) car. I hope their solar-powered, tap water-to-H2 home energy station would get cheaper one day, then we would see a revolution in the auto industry.
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Chad C 12:23PM (11/19/2007)
What's it like looking out the back window of that car? And how's the blindspots? I have to imagine they are both pretty bad.
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valenr 12:57AM (11/20/2007)
Looks like Honda is on to something here. I'm not sold on the styling at all but the technology is definitely there and I'm glad to see Honda kept good handling characteristics while doing it.
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Alan 7:33PM (11/19/2007)
Prius is zero fun?! I love mine and I do regularly get over 45mpg. While it doesn't have the pure torque that my Mustang had, it takes corners and breaks at least as well. Plus, the stealthy creep through parking lots and heavy traffic is cool and unique. Even my worst day of climbing hills never saw 35mpg.
Back to the topic, here, This FCX looks great and I'd love to get one when the price comes down to regular-guy levels.
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Cayman-man 9:01AM (12/02/2008)
Sorry, Alan, but anyone who came from a Mustang (Yikes!) is not too qualified to talk about 'fun to drive'. I'll stick to my Porsche (the one with the engine in the right place) until the Honda FC Sport Concept becomes available. You have to love Honda for what they have had the guts to achieve. Gooooo, Honda!!
Scott 11:59AM (11/20/2007)
This car is by far the best news I've heard in 15 years. The whole Prius/gas hybrid industry is a joke. As for Toyota being 10 years ahead of Honda, you are dead wrong. I had a Honda in 1992 that lived up to its EPA estimates of 48mpg city and 55mpg highway. It was the 1992 Honda Civic VX, look it up. I wish they would make this car again. I put over 169,000 miles on this car and it still got over 40-45mpg. Just for an afterthought, I was 16 when I got this car and I did not drive it like a grandma and it still beat the Prius's EPA estimates. Go figure, we've sure come a long way in 15 years...
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armmat 5:15AM (11/25/2007)
You're comparing a Prius with space for 5 people and all luxury items WHILE getting 45MPG+ to a Honda Civic VX that didn't even come with A/C??? What a laugh...get real.
Like all relatively new technologies, the Prius is a stepping stone to something better...I just don't understand how people can't figure out that very simple idea.
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Justin 10:42AM (11/26/2007)
I dig it. The home fueling station is an excellent idea, but it's still using natural gas to get the hydrogen and natural gas is still a finite resource (as is water, for that matter). While i like the way this is going as far as lowering emissions and extending mileage, i think we're still a long way off from depending on oil (in one form or another) to run our cars. The Clairity seems to be an excellent stepping stone.
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