Honda started some serious research on fuel cell technologies around the second half of the 1980s, with the motto to become neutral carbon fully by 2050.
The Japanese company, Honda was one of the first automobile companies to show interest in hydrogen energy and its potential. They did struggle at first, however, soon the road became smooth and Honda carried on their research.
Until 2002, it has only been in the Honda R&D department. But the company soon started to show some promises in the field and came up with the first and only fuel cell – Honda FCX.
So, is Honda to launch a fuel cell vehicle in 2024? We are yet to find out today!
Our article holds the answer to, honda fuel cell vehicles (previously introduced and upcoming ones) and also a sneak peek at the benefits of fuel cell tech and what it is.
Stay till the end with us and find out all the answers yourself.
Is Fuel Cell Technology the Future of the Automobile Industry?
Fuel Cell technology has been around since 1838. However, the first commercial use of this tech came almost a century later in 1932 with the invention of the hydrogen-oxygen fuel cell.
What’s so special about it?
The most interesting fact about fuel cell technology is, that this tech works like a battery, but without the need to recharge. At the core of fuel cell tech, we have a ‘fuel cell.’ The fuel cell stores hydrogen instead of regular gasoline.
The cell combines hydrogen with oxygen (from the atmosphere) and generates electricity. Here’s how,
You will only have to feed hydrogen into the fuel cell, which can be derived from a variety of domestic sources, such as natural gas, biomass, and renewable power like solar and wind.
Luckily! You don’t have to manually extract hydrogen. Many countries have built hydrogen fueling stations in places.
Feed hydrogen into the fuel cell and at the same time, oxygen from the air enters. A reaction starts in the presence of a catalyst that ultimately ends up producing electricity and powers the electric motor.
Fuel Cell Technology vehicles are highly eco-friendly and promote zero-carbon energy footprints. No wonder why we need it so badly in commercial vehicle production.
Fuel Cell Vehicle of Honda
Have you heard the term, Triple Action to ZERO? It is what Honda centers around to critically focus on carbon neutrality, clean energy, and resource circulation.
It was established in 2011 with the pursuit of zero environmental impact. So, is Honda successful at Triple Action to Zero?
All we know is that Honda has set the initiatives and taking action eventually, the introduction of fuel cell vehicles is the first step!
The First Fuel Cell Vehicle of Honda
Even though the Triple Action to Zero initiative started in late 2011, Honda introduced its first fuel cell vehicle in 2002.
Honda FCX was the first and only fuel cell vehicle of Honda. The car is a live monument to Honda’s commitment to clean and sustainable energy. It was certified by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and the California Air Resources Board (CARB) for commercial use.
Later, came along the Honda FCX Concept in 2006 and Honda Clarity in 2008. Both the variants were hydrogen fuel-based. However, in July 2021, Honda Clarity was discontinued and replaced with a higher-volume hydrogen fuel-cell vehicle.
Apart from being a fully fuel cell car, the Honda FCX was quite ahead of its time. The car featured advanced features like traction control, cruise control, automatic climate control, CD player, power windows, power locks, and power heated mirrors.
In addition to that, the FCX can cover an impressive range with a single tank of hydrogen. The 2011 Honda Clarity could cover up to 47 miles. However, with unleaded gasoline on the fuel tank, you can enjoy a drive up to 340 miles.
So, what promises does the fuel cell vehicle hold in 2024? Let’s unbox the upcoming Fuel Cell vehicle in 2024.
2024 Fuel Cell Vehicle of Honda
Next year, the plug-in version of the Honda CRV is going to launch and that’s in the news! Guess what? Honda is not alone in building the upcoming CRV. Global Motors Company (GM) is also in association with Honda.
The two companies are co-developing fuel cell CRV 2024. Together, it will cost you only one-third of the Honda Clarity FCX, plus double the durability.
Other features? That’s quite impressive, at least we believe it too! Honda hasn’t officially revealed so much about the upcoming fuel cell CRV.
For now, we are hopeful of what Ryan Harty, the Senior Manager and Division Lead of the Energy Solution Business Division at American Honda Motor Company said about the fuel cell 2024 CRV,
“ the new system is more than twice as durable and has significantly faster startup times at frigid temperatures (under -22 degrees F). Also, compared to the fuel cell system found in the now-defunct Clarity, the next-gen system costs two-thirds less to build”
This is the reason why CRV 2024 is within our budget and we are hopeful it’s going to soon reach out to the public consumers.
Plus, the grand CRV is going to use innovative materials for inner parts. This time it’s going to be more versatile and ergonomic. You can check out more for the upcoming CRV 2024.
Last Words
So far, Honda has developed three models of fuel cell vehicles that are running to this date. However, all have limited production and applications.
They either served for research and development purposes or officials leased the models in selected markets.
In the year 2024, Honda is planning for a big sale of the 2024 fuel cell CRV in Japan and North America.
No wonder why, the upcoming CRV will be loaded with the next-generation fuel cell system as a part of the expansion of the hydrogen business.
You already know about the 2023 Honda CRV. So, you can say, that last year CRV models would get an upgrade with the next-gen fuel system for the global market. And we are ready for it.
Leave a Reply