Fleet News takes the wheel of Honda’s hydrogen fuel cell powered FXC Clarity.

The most exclusive car to wear a Honda badge has been enlisted to boost a new campaign to promote tomorrow’s world mobility.

But if the drive to make hydrogen fuel more readily available across Europe hinges solely on the style, luxury and performance of the vehicles that need it, the FCX Clarity is a compelling advocate. Powered by a hydrogen fuel cell – in effect an on-board power station – the only emissions to come from the Honda are water vapour.

Ticking all the boxes for appearance, comfort and ability, the first car of its kind to roll from a production line is now being demonstrated to politicians, fuel supplier executives and public opinion-formers to bolster the motor industry’s call for the forecourt infrastructure that is vital to making next-generation transport a practical reality for business and private motorists.

Unique in being built from scratch as a mass-production vehicle rather than having its power system grafted on an existing design, the flagship Japanese sedan is already winning friends in the key North American market and looks the perfect ambassador on this side of the Atlantic.

With the interior dimensions of a limousine, the D-segment model built to pave the way for mass-market fuel cell motoring glides away from the kerbside with little more than a murmur coming from its electric motor. Press the accelerator pedal harder and top-up power from a lithium ion battery prompts a surprising surge in response.

Fleet News was among the first to put the trailblazing car through its paces in Germany - lead country for the campaign – and we found the plush model was as good to drive over twisting country roads as it was on open highways.maintained its refined, upmarket stance over a mixture of roads.

The volume of a whistle from under its bonnet rises only slightly as the speed increases and fails to disturb the calm of the cabin even when the motor is producing full power, which is enough to maintain achieve a relaxing 100mph on stretches of derestricted autobahn.

An absence of mechanical sound means noise from the tyres is amplified and is particularly noticeable as they encounter surfaces that are less than perfect, but overall, the Clarity offers the ultimate in refined eco progress for four and seems well suited to the long-haul trips that pose potential problems for other zero-emission cars that rely on plug-in battery power.

For most of the time, the refined and upmarket demeanour of this model proves a match for conventional power, but a lack of engine braking serves as a reminder that things are very different under the bonnet.

Another difference in Honda’s glimpse of the automotive future is the location of the mini power station that converts chemical energy into electric current.

Mounting it under the floor would have compromised passenger space, so it is positioned between the front seats. That means there’s no storage space under the centre armrest - a minor concession indeed.

 

Specification

Motor AC synchronous electric
Power 100kW
Torque 188lb-ft
Performance Top speed 100mph
Range 270 miles
Fuel cell stack Proton exchange membrane
Lithium ion battery 288V
Fuel Compressed hydrogen gas