FIRST DRIVE – 2009 HONDA FCX CLARITY
Story by Gerry Frechette
Most of the major auto manufacturers have hydrogen fuel cell projects on the go. They really have little choice if they want to be players in the personal mobility game ten or twenty years from now.
One of them has to be the furthest along down the path towards a fully-realized, marketable fuel cell car, and that manufacturer just might be Honda. Indeed, after a pleasant and occasionally spirited 20-minute drive around Stanley Park in Vancouver, the FCX Clarity showed that it is already a real-world car that even a driving enthusiast would be happy to own.
Certainly, the appeal of driving a totally pollution-free car, fueled by a renewable resource, is strong. But the Clarity is much more than that, as we found out. It may be the nicest looking Honda on the road, inside and out. It is one of the best-performing Hondas, and is a showcase for new technology and design not even connected to the fuel cell, battery or hydrogen storage systems in it.
The Clarity looks the part of a technological marvel, as it is obviously very aerodynamic for a four-door sedan. Its swoopy proportions lend themselves to a very capacious interior, equipped with four exceptionally comfortable seats and featuring futuristic design throughout.
Its feel of lively performance can perhaps be attributed the most to its electric motor delivering its maximum torque (189 lb-ft) as low as one rpm. The lithium-ion battery pack chips in with its charge when full power is called up. One could compare the driving experience to that of an Accord V6. The run to 100 km/h is estimated to take but nine seconds, and top speed is 160 km/h. With its multi-link suspension and low centre of gravity, the Clarity handles very competently, and really, an enthusiast would be very satisfied with this ride.
The Clarity, which is not based on an existing model like most other fuel cell vehicles are, is a showcase for technology other than its fuel cell drivetrain. For example, it features Bio-Fabric covering the seats and armrests, a polyester material made by fermenting corn. All interior fabric coverings are made of natural, plant-based materials. The rear window in the trunk lid (a la Insight) has a special polycarbonate film that makes transparency dependent on the angle of vision; at an angle, it looks like just another painted surface. Its underside is flat and its wheels have plastic fairings to suppress air turbulence.
It sounds like a car for today. And in Los Angeles, it is. There, anyone can lease a Clarity at one of three Honda dealers for $600 US for three years, including all maintenance and collision insurance. Quite a deal, one which actress Jamie Lee Curtis accepted, among six others so far. Honda would like to have 200 Claritys leased out eventually.
Other than developing the technology and making a business case for it, Honda’s stated goal with the FCX Clarity was to put fun and style into the future of the automobile. At this, they have succeeded, and the future of personal mobility may just be more exciting than we can imagine.[PSGallery=sp08gqggp]
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