Again we're back to that infrastructure problem. So far there's no agreement between governments, automakers and fuel suppliers regarding the type of fuel, or refueling infrastructure needed to service fuel cell vehicles. Compressed hydrogen gas was chosen by Honda because of its zero emissions characteristics, but that said it needs large onboard storage tanks. Alternatives to compressed hydrogen include a more complex system of hydrogen extracting onboard reformers powered by ethanol, methanol or gasoline - thus producing trace emissions. Call these 'hybrid' fuel cell vehicles if you may, advantageous due to their ability to make use of the existing refueling infrastructure. This technology is even more infantile than the very new compressed hydrogen powered fuel cells, so it's anyone's guess as to which one, if either, will win out in the end.
Of course there's another race going on between the automakers themselves, of who will produce the first commercially-viable, mass-market fuel cell vehicle. DaimlerChrysler, Ford, General Motors, Mitsubishi, Nissan, Peugeot, Renault, Toyota, and of course Honda are all involved, while BMW is off on its own developing liquid hydrogen vehicles that incorporate common combustion engine technology.
But all said, what about the car itself? After fourteen years of research and four years of fuel cell vehicle road testing the new FSC-V4 shows great improvement over its predecessors. Compared to the FCX-V3, the V4's range has increased, offers improved driving dynamics, a higher maximum speed and quicker acceleration. All the while it's quieter inside, reducing driver fatigue.