Article Comments - 2009 Honda FCX Clarity First Drive

27 messages, Last post on Oct 23, 2008 at 1:29 PM

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What is this discussion about? Honda FCX, Alternative Fuels, Hybrid Cars, Sedan

First Drive: 2009 Honda FCX Clarity - The 2009 Honda FCX Clarity is fun to drive and also fun to be seen in. Best of all, the hydrogen fuel-cell sedan gets you where you want to go without burning a drop of gasoline. (more)

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#22 of 27 US actress to get the First Clarity FCX by gagrice Jun 29, 2008 (7:16 am)
The first production FCX Clarity rolled off the line just three weeks before the car's debut in front of world leaders attending the Group of Eight summit July 7-9 in Hokkaido Toyako. At a ceremony Monday at the Honda Automobile New Model Centre, Honda hosted three of the drivers who will have the first cars and showcased the new production processes. On hand to see how the cars they will drive are manufactured were actress Jamie Lee Curtis and her filmmaker husband Christopher Guest, and film producer Ron Yerxa. California drivers will have the FCX Clarity fuel cell car first, even before drivers in Japan. The first five customers, announced Sunday, are the actress Jamie Lee Curtis and her filmmaker husband Christopher Guest; film producer Ron Yerxa; business owner and car enthusiast Jim Salomon; actress and green advocate Laura Harris; and Jon Spallino, partner and chief financial officer of an Irvine, California engineering and construction firm and the world's first retail customer of a hydrogen fuel cell-powered vehicle. Lease sales are scheduled to begin in July in the United States and this fall in Japan. The combined Japan-U.S. sales plan calls for production of a few dozen units within a year and about 200 units within three years. Not everyone thinks it is a step forward. Critics also point out that hydrogen is costly to produce and the most common way to produce hydrogen is still from fossil fuels. Analysis of the environmental impact of different fuel technologies has shown that the overall carbon dioxide emissions from hydrogen powered cars can be higher than that from petrol or diesel-powered vehicles. My question: What happened to the other 24 Fuel Cell cars? The FCX Clarity is based on Honda's first-generation hydrogen fuel-cell vehicle, the FCX concept car. Honda delivered around 34 of these cars, mainly in the US, of which 10 remain in use. Replies to this message: bvdj84 (Jul 26, 2008 7:29 am)
#23 of 27 Re: US actress to get the First Clarity FCX [gagrice] by bvdj84 Jul 26, 2008 (7:29 am)
Replying to: gagrice (Jun 29, 2008 7:16 am) Also with a lease payment of $600 a month, is that really worth the savings? I would much rather pick a nicer car for $600. That certainly opens many doors when picking a leased car with that kind of payment. But, I do see the point of it, but the cost of ownership is too high for the benefit. Its neat to be able to see all the technology, but it will only help us, when we can provide it at a normal cost. That will take awhile, most are better off going elsewhere for savings.
#24 of 27 Staggering Misinformation by lgentry Aug 03, 2008 (2:13 pm)
A lot of antiquated thinking is going to have to be discarded berfore we can finally make the leap from a petroleum-based to a hydrogen-based transportation system. You not only have to contend with the Flat-Earthers (who don't beleive that any new technology can succeed) but also the Greenies (who don't want anything to work so we're all forced to ride bicycles). Some basic facts: hydrogen is the most abundant element in the universe. It's what the stars run on. It's the cleanest substance you can "burn" to release energy. All you need to make it is water and electricity. All other fuels (ethanol, CNG, etc.) are simply stop-gap measures at best. None can match the cleanliness or abundance of hydrogen. One of the big gripes about wind and solar is that you can't store it when the wind's not blowing or the sun's not shining. But, if you use the electricity generated by wind and solar to crack water into hydrogen and oxygen you've just converted the energy into a storable medium. Hydrogen will require that we discard old paradigms that no longer apply--like the quaint 20th century idea of large-scale, centralized refineries (such as those used with crude oil). Hydrogen will require a decentralized approach--through onsite generation. Since all you need to make hydrogen is electricity and water, microgenerators can be built almost anywhere. You'll have a hydrogen generator right in your own garage. And fuel stations will be able to generate their own hydrogen for sale on site--there won't be any tanker truck deliverying hydrogen--they will be their own "refinery". Free your minds and embrace the new thinking of the future!
#25 of 27 Its still the car of the future by beefeater Sep 08, 2008 (1:19 pm)
I still think, that Honda FCX is the car of the future. If you would look decades back, engines using oil were so inefficient and polluting, but things have changed. Everything evolves, and so will production of hydrogen. The main feature of hydrogen fuel is what we take from earth we return it in the same form, kinda... not like burning all oil. I stand for the Honda and for the alternative fuel.
#26 of 27 Only 3 leased so far this year by gagrice Sep 26, 2008 (5:13 pm)
Does not look like Honda FCX Clarity is burning up the highways yet. Only 3 have been leased so far this year. At that rate it will be awhile before 200 are leased. Also finding someone to pay $600 per month for a Civic is a push. Fueling has to be very expensive also. Replies to this message: varmint (Oct 23, 2008 1:29 pm)
#27 of 27 Re: Only 3 leased so far this year [gagrice] by varmint Oct 23, 2008 (1:29 pm)
Replying to: gagrice (Sep 26, 2008 5:13 pm) There is a wait list. Well, no, I guess that's not quite accurate. All 200 are spoken for. Honda simply isn't building them that fast. Calling it a Civic isn't quite right either, given that the interior is more luxurious than most of the Lexus products. All in all, this thing is more exclusive than a Bently.