The new hydrogen-powered Honda Clarity has the potential to shape a bright future for vehicle propulsion technology. Honda unveiled the Clarity at the Tokyo Motor Show, and the concept car certainly showcased how much attention to detail Honda have put into the development.
The Hydrogen Fuel CellSome of the most impressive facts and figures about the Clarity were also revealed such as; it emits nothing but water vapour from its exhaust, the car can travel more than 400 miles on one tank that only takes three minutes to fill up, as long as you can find a hydrogen station.
The most important factor to take away is that the new fuel cell in the Clarity is one-tenth of the cost of its predecessor!
Honda have really made a great leap forward towards fuel cell vehicles as for the first time the cell fits neatly under a car’s bonnet, taking up the equivalent space as a typical V-6 engine. This means that there can be more space for passengers and the fuel cell can be integrated into other Honda models.
Overall there are two hydrogen tanks paired with a flat lithium-ion battery which is hidden away underneath the front seats. The larger of the two tanks is located behind the rear bulkhead and the smaller one is under the rear seat. Even though the fuel cell system has shrunk in size it has received a 30 percent increase in power to 130 kilowatts, equating to a total of 174hp.
Honda is not giving up on the idea of a ‘zero-emissions future’ through hydrogen technology, their next step is to find an affordable method to mass produce the fuel cells. “Compared to 10 years ago, I think fuel cell vehicles have developed significantly in terms of the technology,” said Takahiro Hachigo, who took over as Honda’s president and chief executive in June.
What Is It Like To Drive?Whilst being driven the Clarity is more or less silent in the cabin until you reach enough speed to hear the tyres. The electric motors ensure that when you press the accelerator pedal you’re greeted with instant-torque getting you where you need to go quickly. It also has a surprisingly comfortable ride, brilliant for use as an everyday saloon car clam and quiet, no thrills and spills.
The spacious cabin has a total of five seats, however the boot space is mainly taken up by the large hydrogen tank just leaving enough space for a bag of golf clubs.
The Honda Clarity is going to be launched in Japan next year and will expand to the US and selected European markets in 2017. If you would like to take a look at our current range of
Honda vehicles visit Howards
Honda Taunton or
Weston-super-Mare.