2009 Honda FCX Clarity Preview

Safety
The 2009 Honda FCX Clarity is equipped with a full range of safety features, including six air bags and anti-lock brakes, electronic stability control, and Collision Mitigation Braking System, as seen in the Acura RL. Honda stressed that the FCX Clarity will meet all federal passenger car safety standards in effect when it is released.

Technology
The 2009 Honda FCX Clarity uses Honda's V Flow fuel stack, the latest generation of their hydrogen fuel-cell power system. The V Flow stack is one-fifth the size of the original FCX's fuel stack. Taking into account the size of the lithium-ion battery—which is 50-percent lighter and 40-percent smaller than the ultra-capacitor used in the earlier-generation FCX—Honda estimates that the complete V Flow powertrain is comparable in size to a hybrid powertrain. The FCX Clarity is a zero-emission vehicle; the only exhaust product from the vehicle itself is water. The FCX Clarity has a range of 270 miles, and Honda calculates its fuel efficiency to be comparable to a car getting 68 mpg.

While hydrogen availability is still limited, Honda is working on developing a home-based refueling system. The current version, called Home Energy Station IV, produces hydrogen from natural gas. In addition to hydrogen for the FCX Clarity, the Home Energy Station also produces electricity and heat for the home.