Honda To Begin Leasing FCX Clarity… To The Truly Worthy.
Think a Bugatti Veyron is pretty exclusive, what with its million dollar plus price tag? Maybe you think the new Rolls Drophead Coupe is a rare bird? In reality, all you need to roll down the street in one of these dream whips is money. Green Car Congress reports that only 200 drivers will "win" the right to lease a hydrogen fuel cell-powered FCX Clarity over the next three years. Oh wait, Honda's splitting the number between Japan and Southern California. So far, over 50k Californians have applied for a hydrogen-powered "it"-mobile. O.K., yes they'll need some money; $600 per month. The first cut will reduce the list to approximately 500 people who live near designated (if unbuilt) hydrogen fueling stations in Santa Monica, Torrance and Irvine. The chosen ones will receive an e-mail prompting them to take a customer selection survey. The Zero Emission [at least at the tailpipe] Powers That Be will chose the final 100 lessees based on driving patterns, vehicle needs, vehicle storage and– OK, again– financial criteria. Oh, that's after "an interview with Honda America." Yeesh. Maybe if they find out that you also own a Toyota, they'll vote you off "Clarity Island."
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@ jaje: Ford has been driving hydrogen fuel cell Focii around for at least the last 8 years, as I'm sure the other major OEMs have. I hope part of Honda's screening process is to filter out those who will make the "Who killed the hydrogen car" movie. I just can't wrap my head around the concept of using all that electricity (regardless of source) to extract hydrogen, cool it, and compress it just to turn it back into electricity. It seems much less efficient than just charging a battery with the same energy. The only advantage is the instant recharge, but there are ways around this with battery technology, such as swapping discharged batteries with charged batteries at "gas" stations.
$600 per month lease? for that? WTF???
I guess I could have been a little more clear. Yes most MFGRs have a one off Fuel Cell vehicle they take to press stints or release PRs about them - but nothing more. Honda is the only company with a production capable fuel cell car to consumers and is about to release its 2nd generation. BMW and Ford only have production capable ICE hydrogen powered cars. If anyone wants to make a "greenwashing" claim it should be against the E85 push. E85 cars get 25%+ worse gas mileage than gasoline. MFGRs only sell them (D2.8) b/c of corrupt CAFE rules that allow them to be calculated ironically at a higher mpg for the ratings. So in essence a Tahoe gets 14mpg under CAFE and 14mpg in real life. An E85 Tahoe gets 9mpg in real life but gets 24mpg in CAFE!!! The D2.8 tout they have the E85 fleets but not for environmental purposes (fuel economy is actually much worse off) - only to save them money from selling gas guzzlers through the loopholes. That's the definition of greenwashing.
jaje, I disagree, the E85 thing is not greenwashing, that's what the guys advertising cars not available for purchase are dong. The E85 thing is worse. It's political manipulation, unethical business practices, and typical big government - big corporation callusion against the rest of us.