First seen at the 2005 Tokyo Motor Show, Honda plans to begin leasing the FCX for $600 a month, and not just to carefully selected corporate fleets, but to everyday consumers.
Inside, the compact FCX would likely qualify as a full-size four-door; even with the driver's seat set to handle my 6'2" frame, there was plenty of legroom in the back. The sedan's instrument panel vaguely resembles that of the new Accord, with its stairstep layout.
The FCX is extremely well-equipped, overall, with niceties such as dual-zone digital climate control, adaptive (radar) cruise control, voice-activated navigation, and a sweet AM/FM/CD/XM audio system with a jack for your iPod or MP3 player. Oddly, while the doors and windows are power-operated, the seats are manual. Then again, maybe not, as weight clearly matters when you're going for maximum mileage.
In terms of safety, the FCX Clarity is equally well-equipped, with six airbags, anti-lock brakes, stability and traction control, active headrests, and a radar-guided collision mitigation system
Step on the throttle and you're likely to be surprised by the Clarity's aggressive launch. The system produces 100 kilowatts of power, with a modest additional assist from the onboard batteries, which operate much like those in today's gas-electric hybrids.
From 0 to 30 mph, the FCX delivers some serious acceleration. It slacks off as you approach highway speed...Certainly, around town, the FCX Clarity will keep up with traffic
One of the most striking features of any fuel-cell vehicle is the distinct lack of traditional powertrain noises.
Though final details haven't been released, the basics are simple: customers will pay $600 a month, over the course of three-year leases, a figure including both maintenance and insurance.
Honda officials expect as many as 30 hydrogen pumps to be available next year. The fuel should cost about $5 a kilogram, meanwhile, so on a per-mile basis, the FCX will actually prove more affordable than comparably-sized sedans (except, perhaps, the Prius). Refueling times, of about five minutes are similar to what it takes to fill up an empty gasoline tank.
2009 Honda FCX Clarity
Base price: Three-year lease, $600/month
Engine: Fuel cell and 288-volt lithium battery, 134 hp/189 lb-ft
Transmission: Direct-drive electric motor, front-wheel drive
Length x width x height: 190.3 x 72.7 x 57.8 in
Wheelbase: 110.2 in
Curb weight: 3582 lb
Fuel economy (EPA city/hwy): 68 mpg combined EPA cycle (est.)
Warranty: All maintenance provided during three-year lease
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