http://automobiles.honda.com/fcx-cla...=fcx.honda.com

 

This looks like the EV1 distribution model that worked so well.

so I have a couple of questions.

* Why are they spending money on fuel cell vehicles and not electrical storage of a different means like a battery or some as of now unheard of technology.
* They are doing 3 year leases. I didnt think the fuel cells lasted that long, or do you think one of the criteria is that you only drive it like 5 miles a day.

I want an electric car so that I can fuel it myself with wind or solar, I dont want another car that is reliant on yet another infrastructure to power it. This seems like a step backwards as they are releasing a car that needs a NEW "grid" to function. When the technology is more available and more affordable to power it with an existing "grid". A grid that gives me the option to provide my own energy.

I am all for research and new technologies, but this seems absurd.

It looks like the solution the oil companies would love to see if they were out of oil. This does not look like a viable alternative.

Hydrogen is the silliest way to "store" energy. First off it takes a butt ton of electricity to create it. If you just stored a tiny fraction of that electricity it would power the same car the same distance, and it can be generate by the owner at his house with wind or solar.

The more I have talked to people in the industry and friends who are physicists and engineers the more I know that hydrogen is, at best, stupid and at worst a distraction from a real solution.

I like honda, every car I have ever owned has been a honda, but this fuel cell stuff for powering cars is just plain dumb.

 

I too would prefer another fully electric vehicle like the EV1. 10 years later there HAS to be a better battery solution by now that could increase the 80-100 mile range per charge to 250+! Not that 80-100 mile range was all bad for a local commuter or shorter distance trips. I would use it 90% of the time. And for the other 10% have another vehicle for trips, or just rent a car for a week or two! With what I've saved from not going to the pump, I could spare $300 for a 2-week rental!

So the fcx is a lease only? Sounds like another possible ******-em-up and destroy-em when they feel like scenario like the EV1 was! Fuel Cell can be a good alternative if done properly. I was watching "Future Cars" on Discovery channel and they showed all types of alt fuel cars like hybrid, electric, fuel cell, air (compressed) powered, etc. The part on the fuel cell showed promise with solar refuel stations (sun makes the energy to convert water to hydrogen). I think it was Denmark that has been using fuel cells for awhile now and they seem to have it together with moving forward. How can a country like Denmark be using and improving the fuel cell and the US can't seem to get one to market and keep saying it's 20 years out!

Anyway, not saying fuel cell is the overall solution, but if it's done right, can be a good alternative. Unlike this Ethanol crap - only the US could have though of this stupid alternative! Lets use the crops that normally went to feed stock and use lots of energy to convert it to fuel that gets less energy per gallon than petroleum. Oh yeah, by using that feed stock, the price of feed to the dairy, beef, pork, and poultry goes through the roof because there's not enough being grown for them now. SO then let's let these livestock farms raise the price of milk, eggs, beef, chicken, and pork so the consumer can get pissed off at paying higher prices for these things to be able to buy a gallon of gas that gets them 10-20% less mileage. What a crock of s&%t! Now, if they could derive ethanol from algae farms (which I think can produce about 10x or more ethanol per acre than corn) or other higher % producing solutions that don't affect other aspects of the economy, then it may be worth using it as an alt fuel.

 

One e mail i got from honda about the fuel cell car is that they do have one fueling station powered by photovotaic cells to make the hygrogen from the atmoshpere.

 

it looks like a gigantic toyota prius on the outside.

 

Any idea how much would this car cost?

 

It is only being leased in SoCal for 3 years at $600 a month. This includes collision insurance and maintenance.