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Industry Update: Honda Gives its new Fuel Cell Car to Movie Stars

From LesleyB, Featured Contributor
Posted on June 16, 2008

Filed under Industry, Technology

Want a new Honda FCX Clarity? Tough! You can't have one. But Jamie Lee Curtis can.

Honda is releasing a limited number of its new hydrogen fuel cell car, the FCX Clarity, to connected people in the Los Angeles area. Using celebrities to drive demand for your product in the mass market is nothing new. However, in this case the car isn't and won't be available on a widespread basis for years to come. Furthermore, Honda said that it received 50,000 applications through its website for the car, but that it is only able to deliver a few dozen this year, and a few hundred over the next three years. If that's true, then supply, not demand, is the issue here.

Would it make more sense for Honda to give the car to real commuters for a more authentic test of the American market? Most commuters are either priced out of the market (a three year lease will be priced at $600 a month) or geographically eliminated as there aren't many hydrogen fueling stations in the U.S. There are some in Southern California, however.

Also interestingly, Honda announced that it will not be producing an electric car because it does not believe that battery power technology is good enough to produce a car that will allow people to drive the distances they need to on a single charge. Other manufacturers like Toyota and GM are placing multiple bets, announcing planned production of both hydrogen fuel cell and electric powered cars.

It now seems inevitable that our cars will eventually move away from gasoline. Which alternative fuel do you think is the most promising?

Read More:

• Things my Dad Taught me About Driving
• U.S. Government says Gas to Peak at $4.15 This Summer
• Cool Commutes: Casual Carpool

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LesleyB is a featured contributor for vLane.