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First of its kind is now in the hands of some consumers. (http://www.cleanmpg.com/forums/showthread.php?t=14331)

http://www.cleanmpg.com/photos/data/501/2008_Honda_FCX_Clarity_2.jpgWayne Gerdes - CleanMPG (www.cleanmpg.com) - July 28, 2008

2008 Honda Clarity FCX on the road.

Honda announced that Ron Yerxa and Annette Ballester took delivery of their hydrogen fuel cell-powered FCX Clarity’s on Friday, July 25, 2008 at Honda of Santa Monica, one of three dealerships in Southern California that are part of the first fuel cell vehicle dealership network.

"The FCX Clarity lease program is one more step toward meeting the societal goals of climate stability, renewable energy supplies and zero-emissions transportation," said John Mendel, executive vice president of American Honda. "With this key step, we are advancing toward the goal of broader commercialization," Mendel added. "Establishing a dedicated sales network and service infrastructure provides customers with the best balance of convenience and the highest level of satisfaction."

Under the Hood

A 134 HP/189 Lb-Ft of torque compact all-electric motor/gearbox transaxle supplies great drivability thanks to a flat torque curve from 0 to 3,056 RPM. The real advance is its fuel efficiency beyond anything an internal combustion engine can attempt to approach.

Significant advances over Honda's previous generation FCX and Cell stack include a 25 percent increase in combined fuel economy to 74 mpg GGE (miles per gasoline gallon equivalent) and a greater than 30 percent increase in driving range up to 280 miles.

Like any full-hybrid or BEV, the FCX Clarity receives more Fuel Economy in city driving than out on the highway. On the 2008 EPA test cycles, the FCX is rated at 79 mpg city/68 mpg highway.

The FCX Clarity is a next-generation, hydrogen fuel cell-powered vehicle. Propelled by an electric motor that runs on electricity generated in the fuel cell, the vehicle's only emission is water, and its fuel efficiency is three times that of a modern gasoline-powered automobile.

Cheating the wind

Aerodynamics start with a full underbody covering front to rear and an especially interesting fin shaped plastic fairing behind each rim to reduce turbulence. These same wheels are aluminum alloy as expected but have a resin input for even lighter weight.

Refueling

Honda will make available a third generation 4KW Home Energy Station that can not only reform your NG supply to H2 to fuel the Clarity but also supply electricity for both heat and light. Energy costs for the home are reduced by up to 50 percent reducing total costs over the longer term.

Ron and Annette are the world's first FCX Clarity customers and the first of approximately 200 customers who will lease the vehicle in the United States and Japan over the next three years, with the vast majority of vehicles being leased in Southern California. We wish both Honda and them every success.

That is exciting stuff! I'm glad that Honda is including a system for fueling their non-gasoline cars. I think that will allow them take them into the mainstream.

Do Want! :woot:

The real advance is its fuel efficiency beyond anything an internal combustion engine can attempt to approach.
...
On the 2008 EPA test cycles, the FCX is rated at 79 mpg city/68 mpg highway.


Hm. They need to talk to some of the people around here. ;)

Go Honda!

They are the only car maker to offer a Fuel Cell Car!

They are the only car maker to offer a Natural Gas Car in the US!

The were the first car maker to offer a Hybrid in the US!

Heck, they are probably gonna release a LiON car next week with little or no press. If GM did this it would be on 60 minutes, Nightline and every other broadcast news show as dawn of an age. Think Honda needs the badge of Car Maker of this decade.

Too bad Toyota has the corner on marketing and supply logistics or Honda would be unstoppable.

11011011

I literally lost count of how many people would give "almost" anything to get their hands on this car (myself included). Heck, just seeing it in person is enough to develop a crush on it that rivals mostly anything else I ever coveted in life. I know, its truly embarrassing. :D

All, I can say is that even my wife supports me on this one but getting one where I live and in the near future would require much more than a miracle. :o

Cheers;

MSantos

Unbelievable!

Honda has just made the Fuel Cell the most efficient mode of transportation. I begin to understand the Hydrogen economy!

EPA data for the Honda Civic GX previous FE champion (http://www.fueleconomy.gov/feg/compx2008f.jsp?year=2008&make=Honda&model=Civic%20CNG&hiddenField=Findacar)

GX = 28 miles / gal NG
GX = 0.036 gal NG / mile
GX = 4.37 cuft NG / mile

EPA data for the Honda FCX Fuel Cell, new FE champion (http://www.fueleconomy.gov/Feg/fcv_sbs.shtml)

FCX = 72 miles / kg H2
FCX = 0.014 kg H2 / mile
FCX = 11.07 cuft H2 / mile

These are based on the following conversion factors..

791.0 cuft H2 = 1 kg H2
121.5 cuft NG = 1 gal NG

Now look at how Honda sells it's H2 home production facility. They simply tap the homes Natural Gas line and reformulate it into Hydrogen. Currently Steam Reforming of Natural Gas to H2 looks something like this:
CH4 + H2O → CO + 3 H2

A secondary gas-shift can be performed on the carbon-monoxide to yield:
CO + H2O → CO2 + H2

So if both the steam-reforming and gas-shift happen at 100% efficiency, one Natural Gas molecule plus two water molecules yield 4 Hydrogen molecules.
CH4 + 2 H2O → CO2 + 4 H2

Now since H2 is less dense, one cubic foot of Natural gas can (in theory) produce 3.6 cubic feet of Hydrogen.

1 cuft NG (+H2O) = 3.68 cuft H2 + CO2 (theoretically)
1 cuft NG (+H2O) = 2.94 cuft H2 (at 80% efficiency)
1 cuft NG (+H2O) = 2.57 cuft H2 (at 70% efficiency)

So current production capacity can reach 80% efficiency rather regularly. If the home reforming station can archive 70% efficiency or better, you can actually get further on a cubic foot of natural gas by turning it into hydrogen and running it through the FCX than you would if you ran the NG strait into the the Civic GX

So to recap based on just 70% conversion efficiency (where 80% is well established) here are the FE figures restated:

791.0 cuft H2 = 1 kg H2
121.5 cuft NG = 1 gal NG
1 cuft NG = 2.57 cuft H2 @ 70% efficency

GX = 28 miles / gal NG
GX = 4.37 cuft NG / mile

FCX = 72 miles / kg H2
FCX = 11.07 cuft H2 / mile
FCX = 4.31 cuft NG / mile

Color me Amazed! Way to go Honda! :flag:

It requires less Natural Gas (a clean-ish domestic resource) to push the FCX one-mile than it does to push the GX one-mile. And for the gear heads, the FCX has 21 more HP than the GX!

11011011

How easily can she be FAS'ed?

If I were in marketing at Honda or anywhere else focusing on FE, I'd get one into the hands of cleanmpg for 48 hours as soon as possible.

At the end of the day, I still don't like the idea of an entire fleet turnover by switching from one depleting fossil fuel to another. What do we do when the fleet is 50% NG/H2 and that source begins to go south? With PHEVs/BEVs, when NG starts to go, we just switch to nuclear and/or solar and/or wind and/or biomass. I prefer transforming hundreds of stationary power plants, not hundreds of thousands of moving ones.

But it's a solution nevertheless. I'm not going to rain on the parade.

FYI..........speaking of biomass..............does my city rock or what?

http://www.statesman.com/news/content/news/stories/local/07/26/0726plant.html?cxtype=rss&cxsvc=7&cxcat=52

For anyone wondering... The lucky winners of the Lease Lotto are leasing on a 3 year term for $600 / month. That payment covers insurance and maintenance on the vehicle.

I'd love to throw my name in that hat!

11011011

Unbelievable!

Honda has just made the Fuel Cell the most efficient mode of transportation. I begin to understand the Hydrogen economy!

EPA data for the Honda Civic GX previous FE champion (http://www.fueleconomy.gov/feg/compx2008f.jsp?year=2008&make=Honda&model=Civic%20CNG&hiddenField=Findacar)

GX = 28 miles / gal NG
GX = 0.036 gal NG / mile
GX = 4.37 cuft NG / mile

EPA data for the Honda FCX Fuel Cell, new FE champion (http://www.fueleconomy.gov/Feg/fcv_sbs.shtml)

FCX = 72 miles / kg H2
FCX = 0.014 kg H2 / mile
FCX = 11.07 cuft H2 / mile

These are based on the following conversion factors..

791.0 cuft H2 = 1 kg H2
121.5 cuft NG = 1 gal NG

Now look at how Honda sells it's H2 home production facility. They simply tap the homes Natural Gas line and reformulate it into Hydrogen. Currently Steam Reforming of Natural Gas to H2 looks something like this:
CH4 + H2O → CO + 3 H2

A secondary gas-shift can be performed on the carbon-monoxide to yield:
CO + H2O → CO2 + H2

So if both the steam-reforming and gas-shift happen at 100% efficiency, one Natural Gas molecule plus two water molecules yield 4 Hydrogen molecules.
CH4 + 2 H2O → CO2 + 4 H2

Now since H2 is less dense, one cubic foot of Natural gas can (in theory) produce 3.6 cubic feet of Hydrogen.

1 cuft NG (+H2O) = 3.68 cuft H2 + CO2 (theoretically)
1 cuft NG (+H2O) = 2.94 cuft H2 (at 80% efficiency)
1 cuft NG (+H2O) = 2.57 cuft H2 (at 70% efficiency)

So current production capacity can reach 80% efficiency rather regularly. If the home reforming station can archive 70% efficiency or better, you can actually get further on a cubic foot of natural gas by turning it into hydrogen and running it through the FCX than you would if you ran the NG strait into the the Civic GX

So to re-coop based on just 70% conversion efficiency (where 80% is well established) here are the FE figures restated:

791.0 cuft H2 = 1 kg H2
121.5 cuft NG = 1 gal NG
1 cuft NG = 2.57 cuft H2 @ 70% efficency

GX = 28 miles / gal NG
GX = 4.37 cuft NG / mile

FCX = 72 miles / kg H2
FCX = 11.07 cuft H2 / mile
FCX = 4.31 cuft NG / mile

Color me Amazed! Way to go Honda! :flag:

It requires less Natural Gas (a clean-ish domestic resource) to push the FCX one-mile than it does to push the GX one-mile. And for the gear heads, the FCX has 21 more HP than the GX!

11011011


I have no quarrels with the efficiency over a Honda Acccord NGX. The FCX is, when you get right down to it, an EV powered by a fuel cell. An electric motor will beat any ICE engine flat regardless of where the electricity comes from.

I wonder, though, if this is the best use of natural gas as it is one of the best heating sources available that can do the job the most efficiently with the least amount of pollution and CO2 emissions. It is also a feed stock for fertilizer used in agriculture. What is also to be done about the supply of natural gas in North America where, like oil, we do not have the lions share of it?

Hi Dan:

___There are energy expenditures with the conversion and we have no idea what those are in terms of energy input (from NG? Electricity? Banana peels?) currently. The Home Energy Station IV has little info released about it just as the Phil system for the NGV had little on it either. I know the NGV used quite a bit of Electricity through the Phil system to press the onboard tank up to 3,600 + psi (16 hours was a good number from empty IIRC?) and until the numbers are available, we just do not know. The Honda system is going to run 5,000 psi but GM wanted to run higher (10,000 psi) so the two would be in a battle for proprietary fill station pressures. GM’s Project Driveway is already on the road but at higher pressures. Steven Ellis was saying the public H2 fill stations know what to take the systems up to as well as able to adjust for the heat of compression during the fill so as to make sure you get all the range and fuel you paid for vs. the NG fill stations around the country with a mix and match of 3,000 and 3,600 psi systems without heat of compression compensation.

___As for the FCX, I was late to sign up for any kind of press drive last fall in LA but I will be sure to try again this November again… The FCD display was really 21st century stuff and I can imagine a 400 + mile range in any of our hands. I mean 500 + ;) While it was driving around taking the dignitaries for rides, it was really quiet as expected.

___Good Luck

___Wayne

How easily can she be FAS'ed?

I'd guess "very easily" given that the actual powertrain is 100% electric ;)

@Dan
Last I read this had a lion battery for braking energy recovery, and excess energy generated from the fuel cell process. So it should do better than the gx, considering the cd. and regen.

Why not just hybridize the Civic GX. If the efficiency gain from hybridizing the GX is another 50% it would easily beat the FCX. Certainly a lot cheaper than adding a hydrogen fuel cell.

Good Luck
Andrew

@cuchulain

Because hydrogen can be created in different ways. Also FCX Allows for a single motor setup and full electric drive. Ultimately more efficient, and less maintenance than internal combustion engine whether gasoline or NG.

The efficiency comes from the full electric drive not from the PEM.
The PEM is just adding an extra conversion loss not to mention the $cost of the PEM which is why it is being leased.
H2 from NG is a none starter, FF NG supply is decreasing and price is increasing.
H2 from water electrolysis, suffers the same compression losses.
The comparison should not be with an ICE but a PEM-less Clarity with a larger battery.

Good Luck
Andrew

Hi Andrew:

___You are right on every account but NG is more abundant than oil which will probably become painfully clear in the not to distant future. NG is also a domestically supplied source for those of us lucky enough to drive a vehicle like this. Would it tax the countries and worlds NG supply via the NG reforming process? You bet and NG prices will jump even more. The last I remember hearing however is H2 was ~ $5.00/kg at the CA H2 refueling stations which makes the Clarity’s fuel cost per mile about equal to that of a hybrid Prius. Cleaner and domestically produced, sure. $ savings? Not really.

___On the other side of the coin, the Clarity includes a 288 V Li-Ion pack and the Fuel Cel stack is a little over the size of a microwave oven. Very small, compact and light. The electric transaxle is a work of art as it is a drive shaft within a power output shaft thorugh a small transmission and again, very small, compact and lightweight. What is not small and lightweight is that darn 5,000 psi tank and the associated HW :( If this were a BEV however, I suspect it would gain another 500 pounds, lose maybe 2/3 of its actual range and 1/3 of its performance.

___About the NGV’s. They are less expensive to operate on a $/mile basis and the vehicle is essentially a std. ICE with a pressurized tank to fuel. Its problem is efficiency. The std. ICE is simply wasting to much energy to produce power. Not that the FCV does not waste power with the H2O or NG conversion to H2 plus compression and than the reconversion in the stack but over the long term, there will be H2 long after we have run ourselves dry of petroleum and NG. This is the end game that I believe Honda was considering with their current FCV program?

___In our world, there will always be electricity or there wouldn’t be any H2. Electricity in and out is even more efficient out of a battery and when the range and charging times are fixed. I see no reason to use any other converted fuel afterwards either.

___Good Luck

___Wayne

I'd still prefer to see electricity be the primary mover of cars (and it kinda is with this, but also kinda not), but I'll admit that those numbers are quite impressive. Hopefully this can take off.

Hi Wayne

I think your optimism in the US NG supply is unfounded.

http://www.theoildrum.com/story/2006/11/8/6636/36918

http://www.theoildrum.com/story/2006/11/27/61031/618

http://www.theoildrum.com/story/2005/11/14/232148/83

Good Luck
Andrew

Hi Andrew:

___We have more supply of it than we have oil and anything to extend the time before we screw ourselves completey is a plus.

___Good Luck

___Wayne

Hi Wayne,

I think we agree in general but I doubt that Honda is really serious about the Clarity.
When they quote a price and mass production schedule, then I will listen. This just looks like a rerun of the EV1 fiasco.

I think plug-in extended range electric vehicles (for those that need the range) are the most likely direction for the next ten years. I just dont see H2 as a good candidate for a range extension fuel.

Good Luck
Andrew

Hi Wayne,

I think we agree in general but I doubt that Honda is really serious about the Clarity.
When they quote a price and mass production schedule, then I will listen. This just looks like a rerun of the EV1 fiasco.

I think plug-in extended range electric vehicles (for those that need the range) are the most likely direction for the next ten years. I just dont see H2 as a good candidate for a range extension fuel.

Good Luck
Andrew

I'll throw in with those thoughts. H2 just isn't a sustainable source -- it has too many economic and logistic issues to be feasible. I also think that RE-EVs are the way to go. :thumbs_up: