Although it has already been show case
in quite a number of Auto Show case
world wide, it is rumored to be
officially launched in 2008. This is not
be another car on top of red carpet in
some auditorium.
Honda first introduce its hydrogen car
back in 1999, code name FCX-V1, and
after years of revolution which saw
Honda introduced FCX-V2, FCX-V3, FCX-V4,
a couple more of FCX and finally FCX
Concept in 2006, an elegant, low riding
hydrogen fuel sedan. The FCX concept has
the drive motor positioned coaxially
with the gear box for a more compact
design, with output increased by 15kW
compare with the previous model. The
power plant is around 180kg lighter than
that of the previous FCX, resulting in
improved energy efficiency and
performance along with a more spacious
interior. You can read all about the
technical specifications and history of
FCX
here and a very introductory video
of the car
here.
So how does fuel cells works, Edmunds
offer some explanation, the fuel cell
stacks takes in hydrogen,
tickles its electrons away and sends
them off to boot camp in an electric
motor. Once the electrons have produced
useful work as electricity, they are
then reunited with the leftover portion
of the hydrogen atom, married to oxygen
and form water. Two tanks, filled with
hydrogen compressed to 5,000 psi, are
located between its rear wheels, giving
the FCX Concept a reported driving range
of about 350 miles. Like all things
mileage-related, range will vary with
driving style, ambient temperature and
planetary alignment, but it's still a
healthy jump over the 210-mile range of
the current FCX. The latest stack —
designed and manufactured by Honda — can
be started in
minus-20-degrees-Fahrenheit weather
conditions.
However no matter how much Honda can put
into help to save the environment, when
it come to refueling it is still a
daunting task. It will be some time
before we have hydrogen stations. We
have read some news that Singapore has
already started preparing itself for
this. There is also some downside to
this hydrogen fuel, The downside here is
that carbon dioxide, a greenhouse gas,
is released when natural gas is reformed
to produce hydrogen. Honda is quick to
point out that it's less CO2
than what a comparable gasoline-powered
car would produce, and a zero-carbon
technology based on low-cost solar cells
is also under development.
