| The Honda Motor Co. Ltd. continues to develop fuel | | | | production car," Honda spokesman Chris Naughton |
| efficient product lines to bolster its lead as the | | | | said. |
| 'greenest' automaker. Earlier, the Japanese automaker | | | | Do not expect much change when the production |
| announced its plan to roll out a new hydrogen hybrid | | | | model hits the road either, Naughton said. "We very |
| that will be released next year. | | | | much expect to carry over not only the sleek styling |
| The upcoming fuel cell vehicle gets an equivalent of | | | | and very spacious interior, but also the performance |
| nearly 70 mpg. Japan's second largest automaker has | | | | characteristics. Any changes will mainly slight tweaks, |
| been developing the FCX for nearly two decades and | | | | like headlights, bumper height and a few other things |
| finally believes the car is ready for the tough streets | | | | to make it a true production car," Naughton added. |
| and demands of the real world. Honda expects the | | | | "It's important to get fuel cells on the road," said Paul |
| 2008 FCX will get a fuel mileage of about 68 mpg in | | | | Taylor, the chief economist of the Washington, |
| combined highway and city driving, with a range of | | | | D.C.-based National Automobile Dealers Association |
| 270 miles. The only emission that the FCX's electric | | | | (NADA). "We've had fuel-cell buses running in Chicago |
| engine produces is water vapor that is created when | | | | for a while, but I don't know whether they can get |
| hydrogen and oxygen combine to produce electricity. | | | | through to Denver or not." |
| Contrary to the Honda Civic Nitrous Systems, the | | | | Local dealer Mile High Honda does not have any |
| FCX "is not just some far out, pie-in-the-sky exercise | | | | official confirmation from the Japanese automaker |
| in what may or may not come to fruition some day | | | | about the delivery of fuel-cell cars, said Tom Easaw, |
| in the distant future," said Steve Ellis, the manager of | | | | the dealership's Internet sales manager. "Honda has |
| fuel cell vehicle marketing for American Honda Motor | | | | been developing FCX," Easaw said. "Filling up fuel-cell |
| Co. Inc. "We feel fuel cell electric vehicles are the | | | | cars could be an issue unless you have hydrogen |
| best and ultimate solution to the twin environmental | | | | fueling stations. To my knowledge, there aren't any |
| and societal challenges of global climate change and | | | | hydrogen fueling stations in Denver." |
| energy sustainability." | | | | Approximately twelve states have hydrogen-fueling |
| The car is the first hydrogen fuel cell car that has | | | | stations, and California accounts for most of them. |
| been certified for daily use by both the Environmental | | | | Additionally, even at the higher mpg, getting |
| Protection Agency and the California Air Resources | | | | hydrogen from fossil fuels is not worth the cost of |
| Board. "Along with that, we've already done our own | | | | the vehicles and energy loss of the conversion. This |
| internal crash testing to ensure that it meets federal | | | | is why some critics are discouraging production of |
| crash standards as well. So we consider this to be a | | | | said vehicles at the present time. |