Honda’s FCV Concept is a next-generation car that demonstrates the exterior and interior styling evolution of Honda’s next zero emissions fuel-cell vehicle, which is scheduled for launch in 2016. The new model will feature a spacious cabin with seating for five passengers, a driving range estimated to be in excess of 300 miles, and an anticipated refueling time of approximately three minutes at a pressure of 70 MPa. Its fuel cell stack, which fits entirely under the bonnet, is 33 percent smaller with a 60 percent increase in power density compared to that in the outgoing Honda FCX Clarity.
As the next progression in Honda’s dynamic FCV styling, the Honda FCV Concept features a low, wide aerodynamic body with clean character lines. The interior strives to achieve harmony between man and machine by taking advantage of new powertrain packaging efficiencies delivering even greater passenger space than the four-seater FCX Clarity.
The debut of this latest Concept continues more than a decade of Honda leadership in the development of fuel-cell vehicle technology. The original FCX became the first EPA- and CARB-certified fuel-cell vehicle in July 2002, going on to become the world’s first production fuel-cell vehicle when it was introduced to the U.S. and Japan in December 2002. In 2003 the FCX became the first fuel-cell vehicle to start and operate in sub-freezing temperatures, and the first FCV to be leased to an individual customer, in 2005.
Honda’s commitment to fuel-cell development was further underlined in 2008 when it became the first manufacturer to build and produce a dedicated fuel-cell vehicle on a production line specifically made for fuel-cell vehicles, and the first to create a fuel-cell vehicle dealer network.
Honda has been a leading company in the field of FCV development, amassing real-world data through lease sales in Japan and the U.S., including actual feedback from individual users and also driving data from the vehicles.
The Honda FCV Concept is a concept car for Honda’s next-generation FCV, a successor model to the FCX Clarity, with which Honda strives to achieve a further improvement in performance and a reduction in cost.