I attended the line-off ceremony for Honda's "FCX Clarity" fuel-cell vehicle June 16. At the ceremony, I saw part of the company's fuel cell stack manufacturing process, which is usually kept secret, as well as its automotive assembly process.
One of the FCX Clarity's features is its very compact fuel cell stack, which is installed in its floor tunnel. Housing no engine in its front area, the FCX Clarity realized a low, smooth body, which is an unprecedented design for fuel-cell vehicles (FCVs). It definitely looked different from existing FCVs, most of which mount fuel cells under the floor.
To realize a design that is difficult for engine cars, Honda Motor Co Ltd developed both platform and chassis exclusively for the FCX Clarity, although it only plans very limited global sales of about 200 units over the next three years.
Commenting on this point, Honda's enginner engaged in the development said, "To highlight the attraction of FCVs, we needed to embody and show a design and a package that only FCVs can realize. Our proposal was approved by the upper management and resulted in this design."
I was given a chance to steer the car by myself at this event. Amid the low noise from the blower that was sending air to the fuel cells and the increasing road noise, I felt a sense of driving with powerful acceleration, as if something was pushing my back. It gave me an enjoyment of driving that was completely different from engine cars.
The key feature of FCVs is their low impact on the environment as they use hydrogen as fuel and only emits water during the drive. Due to this environmental property, they are often called the "ultimate eco cars." However, we have insisted for some time that we believe electric vehicles (EVs) are more promising than FCVs.
In fact, FCV technology is advancing. The fuel cell stack that Honda incorporated in the FCX Clarity this time achieved a 50% higher capacitance density and a 67% improved mass output density compared with the previous FCX. Also, it realized low-temperature startability, which has been regarded as a challenge that FCVs must overcome, at -30°.
Another challenge that FCVs are facing is a manufacturing cost, but I felt it can be reduced considerably if the company further enhances processes of press-forming stainless separators and layering cells into stacks, which have already been partly automated.
Regardless of these advantages, however, we still consider EVs are more promising because of the fact that FCVs primarily use hydrogen, rather than fuel cells, as fuel.
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