Honda to begin production of fuel-cell electric vehicles in 2024

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Over the years, Honda’s fuel-cell stack has been steadily improved. The original fuel cell found in the FCX was rated at a modest 43 kilowatts. Its claim to fame, however, was the fact it was one of the first to “start” at temperatures down to -30 degrees Celsius. By 2008, the output had risen to 100 kW and was being used in the FCX Clarity. As used in the recently-retired Clarity, the fuel cell was still producing 100 kW, but it was doing so from a smaller, more efficient stack — it was 33 per cent smaller, so instead of sitting between the front seats, it could sit under the hood.

Moving forward, Honda is testing a CR-V-based unit that blends the advantages of a battery-electric vehicle with those of a fuel-cell-powered unit. When this next-generation “hybrid” goes into production in 2024, it will become North America’s first road-going vehicle to combine the advantages of a grid-charged battery with the range offered by a fuel cell. This shift in philosophy allows the driver to charge the onboard battery for use in an urban setting and to rely on the fuel cell for an extended trip.

This ability finally puts range-anxiety to bed once and for all, and it does so without having to rely on gasoline to get it done!