"Certification allows Honda to place fuel cell vehicles in commercial operation " said Tom Elliott, American Honda executive vice president. "We'll have an opportunity to evaluate fuel cell vehicles in real world applications and to study the development of a refueling infrastructure to support fuel cell vehicles. However, it is important to remember that significant cost, technology and infrastructure issues remain prior to the mass marketing of fuel cell vehicles."
This latest version of Honda fuel cell vehicle achieves 15 percent more maximum drive motor torque than previous models and also provides improvements in mid-to-high range power output characteristics and acceleration. It also has an increased driving range of 220 miles, about 25 miles more than the previous model.
Honda started fuel cell research in 1989 and has been road testing vehicles in the United States and Japan since 1999. Honda is a member of the California Fuel Cell Partnership (CaFCP) based in Sacramento, Calif., and has been working closely with that organization.
"The California certification of Honda's FCX is a tremendous accomplishment," said Alan C. Lloyd, chairman of CARB. "The California Fuel Cell Partnership -- involving energy companies, auto manufacturers, component makers and government agencies -- will continue to help coordinate key industry-wide issues, including infrastructure development."
Honda has a long history of automotive environmental leadership dating back to 1975 when the Honda CVCC was the first vehicle to meet the amended Clean Air Act standard. Since then, Honda was the first company to market a gasoline vehicle (Civic) meeting the low emission vehicle (LEV) standard in all 50 states and the first to sell a gasoline car meeting first California's Ultra Low Emission Vehicle standard and subsequently the "Super" ULEV standard (Accord).
This latest version of Honda fuel cell vehicle achieves 15 percent more maximum drive motor torque than previous models and also provides improvements in mid-to-high range power output characteristics and acceleration. It also has an increased driving range of 220 miles, about 25 miles more than the previous model.
Honda started fuel cell research in 1989 and has been road testing vehicles in the United States and Japan since 1999. Honda is a member of the California Fuel Cell Partnership (CaFCP) based in Sacramento, Calif., and has been working closely with that organization.
"The California certification of Honda's FCX is a tremendous accomplishment," said Alan C. Lloyd, chairman of CARB. "The California Fuel Cell Partnership -- involving energy companies, auto manufacturers, component makers and government agencies -- will continue to help coordinate key industry-wide issues, including infrastructure development."
Honda has a long history of automotive environmental leadership dating back to 1975 when the Honda CVCC was the first vehicle to meet the amended Clean Air Act standard. Since then, Honda was the first company to market a gasoline vehicle (Civic) meeting the low emission vehicle (LEV) standard in all 50 states and the first to sell a gasoline car meeting first California's Ultra Low Emission Vehicle standard and subsequently the "Super" ULEV standard (Accord).