I’ve been reading about fuel-cell cars for decades now. Today’s Eyes on the Road column describes Honda’s prototype:
The Honda FCX looks like a chunky subcompact hatchback, not a science project. But in fact, it is a science project — a serious one. Underneath the FCX’s front seat is a fuel-cell stack that converts hydrogen, supplied from pressurized tanks under the rear seat, into electricity that can propel the 3,713-pound FCX as fast as 93 miles per hour, emitting only water in the process.
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Once the FCX flashes “ready to drive” on its electronic dashboard display, it behaves like an ordinary car — except it’s quieter and its power comes on more smoothly. There’s no clunky gear shifting, just smooth acceleration and deceleration.
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The FCX’s fuel-cell system and the onboard hydrogen-storage tanks are capable of traveling 170 miles between refuelings. Three hundred miles is the target, Mr. Matsuo says. The FCX is too small to accommodate the hydrogen tanks needed to hit that number, he says. And there are other issues: One reason Honda and rival Toyota are testing fuel-cell prototypes in sunny California is that in colder regions, the water in the fuel-cell system would freeze.