The first examples of Honda’s Clarity, its fuel cell zero emissions vehicle, have arrived in Europe this week. The first six vehicles will be based with customers in London and Copenhagen as part of the Hydrogen for Innovative Vehicles (HyFIVE) demonstration project, partly funded by the Fuel Cell and Hydrogen Joint Undertaking (FCHJU).
The new Clarity Fuel Cell features Honda’s latest technological enhancements in the field. It is the first fuel cell sedan to house the entire stack underneath the bonnet, making the cabin spacious enough to carry five occupants. A recent US Environment Protection Agency (EPA) test measured an effective range of 366 miles (589km), greater than any other production zero emissions vehicle.
“Honda has always been one of the leaders in the field of hydrogen fuel cell technology, with over 30 years of research and development behind us,” explained Thomas Brachmann, chief project engineer, Honda Research and Development and leader of Honda’s Clarity Fuel Cell programme in Europe. “The arrival of these vehicles in Europe and Honda’s participation in HyFIVE is the next step towards Honda’s vision of the full commercialisation of this technology.”
The HyFIVE project aims to promote the awareness and adoption of fuel cell vehicle technology and infrastructure across Europe. Once deployment is completed, 185 Fuel Cell Vehicles from five automotive manufacturers will be with private and corporate customers across Austria, Denmark, Germany, Italy, Sweden and UK.