Daimler and Honda most likely for fuel cells

Boulder, Colorado – Daimler and Honda are most likely to bring light-duty fuel cell vehicles (FCV) to market, according to a new report by Pike Research. The study found that several of the major global automakers have aggressive programs to develop a commercial FCV as part of their suite of sustainable vehicles, while others have pulled back and a few new players have entered the arena.



“Automakers will continue to refine their products between now and the 2014/2015 deadline for commercial launch,” said senior analyst Lisa Jerram. “In order to meet this target, the OEMs must continue to test and refine their fuel cell systems as well as the vehicle integration and optimization. They will also be focused on driving down vehicle costs.”



Jerram said that Daimler attained the highest overall score in the report as it has laid out a clear path to producing a commercially viable FCV. Other contributing factors include its strong relationships with infrastructure and government partners, and its recent announcement to partner with Linde on infrastructure development, but it has made ambitious announcements on fuel cell technology readiness in the past that did not come to fruition.



Honda is the runner-up in the study based on the high-quality execution of its Clarity FCV, its efforts to lay the groundwork for a commercial launch and its continued public commitment to FCV commercialization, although Pike noted the Clarity’s slow rollout.



Source;

http://www.autos.ca/general-news/daimler-and-honda-most-likely-for-fuel-cells

Japan to sell fuel cell cars in 2015

-100 refuelling stations by 2015
-Four areas in Japan to benefit
-Progress is being made in Europe, too

Sales of hydrogen fuel cell cars will kick off Japan in 2015, car manufacturers and hydrogen suppliers jointly announced recently.

Although numbers of vehicles have not been discussed, the partnership of Honda, Nissan and Toyota said 2015 would mark the start of 'mass production' of fuel cells.

Hydrogen suppliers have committed to establishing a network of 100 refuelling stations in Japan to serve the cars.

Japan's Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry said it would support the expansion of the hydrogen network.

Work is also underway on developing fuel cells and hydrogen refuelling in Europe. There are already a chain of refuelling points along the HyNor 'hydrogen highway' in Norway, between Oslo and Stavanger.

Mercedes is already trialing fuel-cell versions of the B-Class, while Kia and General Motors have both said they will sell 10,000 fuel cell vehicles each by 2015.

Source;
http://www.whatcar.com/car-news/japan-to-sell-fuel-cell-cars-in-2015/254919

Honda backs hydrogen tech; going into production

Honda is pushing ahead with its plans to begin mass-production of its hydrogen fuel-cell-powered FCX Clarity, despite the slow take-up of hydrogen technology.

In the US, a key market for hydrogen technology, the Obama administration has publically backed electric car technology and has consistently distanced itself from creating a hydrogen network.

In other key markets, including Britain, no hydrogen network currently exists.
Takashi Moriya, head of the Tokyo-based Honda group developing the technology, said: “Fuel-cell cars will become necessary. We’re positioning it [the FCX Clarity] as the ultimate zero-emission car.”

At present, Honda is the only major car manufacturer offering its fuel-cell vehicles to members of the public for leasing. GM and Toyota have also publically backed the adoption of hydrogen fuel-cell technology.

GM plans to launch a fuel-cell car by 2012, while Toyota president Akio Toyoda confirmed his company would bring a fuel-cell car to market within the next six years.

Source;
http://www.autocar.co.uk/News/NewsArticle/Honda-Concepts/242482/

Honda: Fuel cells offer "the ultimate zero-emission car"

Honda is not yet ready to concede victory in the eco-friendly automobile wars to the battery electric car. Instead, Honda will continue developing its hydrogen fuel cell technology. Says Takashi Moriya, head of Honda's fuel cell operations, "Fuel-cell cars will become necessary. We're positioning it as the ultimate zero-emission car.

"While Honda is the only automaker in the States that's actually put hydrogen-powered vehicles in the hands of paying consumers (GM's Project Driveway loaned citizens a fuel cell vehicle for free for a short while), it's clear that the Japanese automaker isn't making any money on the FCX Clarity now and likely won't any time soon. Fuel cells are expensive pieces of technology, partly due to their high concentration of precious metals like platinum.

Despite the shortcomings of current hydrogen technology – which, in addition to the aforementioned high price of the vehicle itself, include difficulties in capturing the gas in an environmentally-friendly manner, storing and transporting the gas and an inadequate infrastructure – Honda believes its investment will one day pay off. In fact, Honda says it plans to have hydrogen-powered cars on the market by 2020 at costs comparable to cars running on gasoline. Toyota has said it's hydrogen car, due in 2015, will be priced "shockingly low."

Source;
http://green.autoblog.com/2009/08/12/honda-fuel-cells-offer-the-ultimate-zero-emission-car/

2009 Honda FCX Clarity First Drive by Edmunds' Inside Line

This would be my first time seeing any 'live' footage of the FCX Clarity. Nice.

Toyota could have hydrogen fuel-cell car on the road by 2014

Hmmm, Honda might just be on to something with this Hydrogen business....
Honda's FCX Clarity fuel cell vehicle has grabbed lots of headlines, as has BMW's combustion-powered Hydrogen7 and Mazda's rotary RE line of vehicles, including the RX-8. But Toyota is working on a hydrogen fuel cell vehicle too, and it could be on the streets by 2014.

Well, the streets of California at least. The company had previously released plans to have a hydrogen fuel-cell vehicle on the road by 2015, but that schedule has been bumped up a year to meet the incentives within California's Zero Emissions Vehicle mandate.

“So much of what happens is directly related to the California ZEV mandates — they’re followed by at least 14 states, and they affect nearly half of the cars on the market in the United States. Phase IV of the mandates covers model years 2015 through 2017, so that means we could begin complying in late 2014," John Hanson, a Toyota spokesperson, told the New York Times.

California's ZEV scheme has previously influenced Toyota and other carmakers, including General Motors, to introduce zero-emissions vehicles, including the RAV-4 EV and the much-discussed EV-1.

This time around, the monetary benefits to California's program are such that it's now a valid business case for Toyota to build the hydrogen fuel-cell car.

Source;
http://www.motorauthority.com/toyota-could-have-hydrogen-fuel-cell-car-on-the-road-by-2014.html