November 20 2006
Honda Shows Off Hydrogen-Powered FCX ConceptLOS ANGELES -- American
Honda has shown off its next-generation hydrogen-powered FCX concept car with a
demonstration drive at the Laguna Seca Raceway in Monterey, California.
The FCX Concept features a newly developed compact, high-efficiency Honda FC
Stack as well as a low-floor, low-riding, short-nose body. It offers a
comfortably large cabin and futuristic styling along with significant
improvements in power output and environmental performance.
Honda plans to begin limited sales of a totally new fuel cell vehicle based
on this concept model in Japan and the U.S. in 2008.
To meet Honda objectives for significant gains in both environmental and
driving performance, the FCX Concept is equipped with a V Flow1 fuel cell
platform consisting of a compact, high-efficiency fuel cell stack arranged in an
innovative center-tunnel layout. This has allowed designers to create an
elegant, low-riding, sedan form that would have been difficult to achieve in a
conventional fuel cell vehicle. This new fuel cell stack is 20 percent smaller
and 30 percent lighter than the current FCX FC Stack, yet its power output is
14kW greater. The drive motor has been positioned coaxially with the gearbox for
a more compact design, with output increased by 15kW.
Overall, the power plant is about 180kg lighter than that of the current FCX
and about 40 percent smaller in volume. The result is improved energy efficiency
and performance along with a more spacious interior.
While with previous fuel cell stacks the hydrogen and the water formed in
electricity generation flowed horizontally, the new FCX Concept features
vertical-flow design. This allows gravity to assist in discharging the water
that is produced, resulting in a major improvement in water drainage, key to
high-efficiency fuel stack performance. The result is stable power generation
under a broad range of conditions, and higher output from a smaller package.
Low-temperature startup has also been significantly improved, enabling
cold-weather starts at temperatures 10˚C lower than the current FCX— as low as
minus 30˚C.
As an auxiliary power source, the FCX Concept carries a compact,
high-efficiency lithium ion battery, contributing to increased power output and
a more compact power plant. These efficiency improvements to major power plant
components give the vehicle a travel range approximately 30 percent greater than
the current FCX. The vehicle is also highly efficient, with an energy efficiency
of around 60 percent —approximately three times that of a gasoline-engine
vehicle, twice that of a hybrid vehicle, and 10 percent better than the current
FCX.
Other features include seat upholstery and door linings made from Honda
Bio-Fabric, a plant-based material that offers outstanding durability and
resistance to sunlight damage. Other improvements such as Shift-by-Wire and a
newly designed instrument panel with easy-to-read display of hydrogen fuel
consumption facilitate improved ease of operation.
The new fuel cell vehicle currently under development for release in 2008,
will feature the principle technologies of the FCX Concept to achieve a new
dimension in environmentally friendly driving pleasure not found with
gasoline-engine vehicles.
Specifications
| Number of passengers |
4 |
| Motor |
Max. Output |
95kW (129PS, 127 horsepower) |
| Max. Torque |
256Nm (26.1kg/m, 188.8 lb-ft.) |
| Type |
AC synchronous motor (Honda mfg.) |
| Fuel Cell Stack |
Type |
PEFC(proton exchange membrane fuel cell, |
| Honda Mfg.) |
| Output |
100kW |
| Fuel |
Type |
Compressed hydrogen |
| Storage |
High-pressure hydrogen tank (350atm) |
| Tank Capacity |
171 litres |
| Dimensions (L x W x H) |
4,760 x 1,865 x 1,445mm |
| (187.4 x 73.4 x 56.9 inches) |
| Max. Speed |
160km/h (100 mph) |
| Energy Storage |
Lithium Ion Battery |
| Vehicle Range* |
570km (354 miles) |
* When driven in LA4 mode (Honda calculations)
For further information contact:
Gareth Rees
Public Relations
Coordinator
Telephone : (03) 9285 5640
Facsimile : (03) 9285
5500
Email: garethr@honda.com.au
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