Honda Touts Fuel Cell Tech

December 4, 2007 // Published as a news service by IHS

In November 2007, Honda introduced the FCX Clarity fuel cell vehicle. It will be leased to retail customers starting summer 2008, according to Honda.

The FCX Clarity is based on Honda's Vertical-Flow (V-Flow) fuel cell vehicle platform and is powered by the V-Flow fuel cell stack.

Features include:

• A new cell configuration and vertical layout that doubles the stack's power-to-weight density versus the previous generation FC stack.

• Reduction of the total powertrain by 45% to the same size as a hybrid powertrain.

  Increased vehicle fuel efficiency by 20% (to U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) combined city-highway 68 miles per gallon) and driving range increase of 30% (to 270 miles).

• V-Flow platform incorporating a lithium-ion battery pack that is 50% smaller and 40% lighter than the ultracapacitor in the previous FCX, according to Honda.

  It is touted as being one of the first commercial deployments of lithium-ion battery technology in an automobile as a source of motive power.

Other achievements in the fuel cell arena being promoted by Honda include:

• Government-certified fuel cell vehicle that is EPA and California Air Resources Board (CARB) certified and certified to meet applicable federal motor vehicle safety standards (July 2002).
• One of the first commercial leases of a fuel cell vehicle (December 2002).
• Fuel cell vehicle starting and operating in sub-freezing temperatures (2003).
• One of the first long-term leases to customers in extreme climates (Las Vegas, New York - 2004).
• One of the first fuel cell vehicles placed in the hands of an individual customer (June 2005).
• Lease of the FCX to one of the youngest fuel cell customers (March 2007).
• First-generation FCX designed to perform under harsh conditions with minimal service support including in the heat of the Western deserts and the cold of the Northeast.

Honda said it is also developing technology to answer the "chicken and the egg" dilemma of the vehicle and the refueling infrastructure.

This includes the fourth-generation of development of its Home Energy Station (HES) and Honda-developed solar cell technology to power its own fuel cell vehicles in a carbon-free energy system, claims Honda.

Honda began testing the fourth-generation HES (HES IV). It was developed with Plug Power Inc. A second-generation system is also in operation at Plug Power headquarters.

The HES is a home refueling unit that is designed to produce hydrogen from the home's existing natural gas supply to provide for fuel cell vehicle refueling as well as providing hot water and electricity for the home, said Honda.

HES IV is 75% smaller than the original unit with 30% less CO2 emissions, according to Honda.

Honda R&D is also operating an experimental solar cell powered hydrogen refueling station. The station employs copper indium gallium selenide (CIGS) thin-film solar cells, which were developed by Honda Engineering Co. Ltd. and are being mass produced and sold in Japan by Honda Soltec LLC.

The Honda cells are promoted as requiring half the energy for production than conventional cells, claims Honda.

Source: Honda Motor Co. Ltd.