Honda Delivers First FCX Clarity Hydrogen Novelty Over-Sized Car Keys
by Michael Graham Richard, Gatineau, Canada on 07.28.08
Over-Sized Keys and Photo-Op for Honda Hydrogen Car
Last month, we wrote about the Honda FCX Clarity hydrogen fuel cell car, and we were a bit ambivalent about it. Sure it's a technological marvel, but we're a lot less sure that a hydrogen infrastructure will be viable anytime soon, and since time is of the essence, fuel cells are a bit of a red herring. Still, it's still worth noting that the first FCX Clarity models have been delivered to their new owners (or rather, leasers): film producer Ron Yerxa and Annette Ballester. Next on the list are Jamie Lee Curtis and her husband Christopher Guest, actress Laura Harris, and businessmen Jon Spallino and Jim Salomon.
You Want a Honda FCX?
As we previously wrote: "Honda is not selling the FCX Clarity yet, only leasing it to a select few in California (and Japan next Autumn). The three year contract will be $600/month, including maintenance and insurance, and only those living close enough to the few hydrogen refueling stations in Torrance, Santa Monica, and Irvine can qualify." And of course, if you aren't a movie star, it will probably be very hard to even be considered. Still, good luck!
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First keys delivered to customer for Honda FCX Clarity
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Maybe you can store some hydrogen inside those keys to extend the range..
Give me a break.
Why is it every time there is a "test" of technology it always seems to be tested by those who could afford even the expensive prototypes. Why not give a few to Joe and Jane Sixpack.
I find it hard to believe that Honda will be able to get the final cost of this entire system down to an affordable cost. Unless you want to rent the thing for as long as your mortgage!
Ever heard of marketing?
With well known testers like these it should make bringing the Clarity to market that much easier, not to mention, the lease period is three-years, they will be feeling a lot of pressure to make a wider release in that time and Honda will likely be monitoring the performance of these vehicles every step of the way, hence why they include maintenance in the leasing package (I doubt anyone else would know how to fix one anyways). Just another nail in the coffin of petroleum.
I don't think there's much of an issue with rich people getting the latest and most expensive technologies first. They pay the high cost, get the company the high profits, which then lets them develop and streamline the technology so that regular people can afford it in the future. Honda isn't a charity. As for cost, I do think hydrogen is expensive and will stay there. Like the OP said, it's a red-herring, but it's staying around because it keeps the oil companies at the table, and they won't go down without a fight.
Electric cars are probably the one viable option. The oil companies would have been smart to help out with battery technology sooner, as well as working out deals with the power utilities to resell wattage at charging stations. Sadly, the oil companies thought they could fight progress and are starting to fail.
On the lighter side, you'd think a car that cost more than my house would at least have smart key-style technology...