Putting fun and style into the future of the automobile
The fuel cell vehicle is the ultimate in clean performance. But Honda believes cars should always be fun, too - the stuff of dreams. So when Honda set out to develop a fuel cell vehicle, the goal was to make it a car that delivers driving and aesthetic pleasure as well as outstanding environmental performance.
Honda has led the way in developing and improving fuel cell vehicle performance. Now the company is moving on to the next phase, exploring the enormous potential for layout versatility that is made possible by the fuel cell powerplant. This flexibility gives the fuel cell vehicle a new appeal that can set it apart from the internal combustion engine vehicle. That's why Honda engineers have cleared away all preconceived notions of automobile design, challenging themselves to discover the new possibilities that can only be realized with the fuel cell vehicle.
The development team chose the word 'free' to represent the design approach: free from preconceptions, free from common assumptions.
The team's goal was to create the next generation in automotive pleasure, with design and driving performance unattainable in today's vehicles.
- Free earth from environmental burden and from limits on where vehicles can be used
- Free people to experience exhilarating acceleration and a feeling of comfort and spaciousness that transcends vehicle categories
- Free the automobile to evolve in form and design
First, Honda engineers set out to achieve the next advance in fuel cell stack design. The result was the V Flow Honda FC Stack, which delivers outstanding improvements in lightweight, compact, high-output performance. The team also made the fuel cell system, drive motor, hydrogen storage, and other powertrain components more compact. We took advantage of the fuel cell vehicle's unique layout possibilities to create a revolutionary new platform with a low center of gravity for sporty stable driving performance. And the electric motor drive provides a distinctive sense of power and a feeling that accleration will go on forever for an all-new dimension in driving feel.
Honda has created the first of a new era of personal mobility: the FCX Clarity. The future of the automobile is about to change - and become a whole lot more fun. Honda has embarked on the next stage in the development of the fuel cell vehicle.
How the FCX Clarity got its name:
Honda chose this name to express the idea that the company is creating a fuel cell vehicle that will offer a clear solution to the challenges of the future, helping society achieve sustainable mobility.