Honda FCX fuel-cell

Thanks to films such as Gone In 60 Seconds and 2Fast 2Furious, tuned Japanese motors have become more desirable in the US than some of the traditional big-engined muscle cars. And there's another area where the Japanese are overtaking the Americans - alternative fuels.

Auto Express Car Reviews

By Andrew English

June 2003

Thanks to films such as Gone In 60 Seconds and 2Fast 2Furious, tuned Japanese motors have become more desirable in the US than some of the traditional big-engined muscle cars. And there's another area where the Japanese are overtaking the Americans - alternative fuels.

The Honda FCX might not appeal to the boy racers, but it's a real glimpse of the future of motoring. It's the world's first commercially available fuel-cell vehicle, disproving claims from other manufacturers that it's not yet possible. And if you are a resident of Los Angeles, you can now drive one.

Fuel-cell cars feature a converter which takes hydrogen and mixes it with air to create electricity. The only by-product is pure water and oxygen.

It's obviously good for the environment, but the Honda is also surprisingly brisk. Thanks to a huge ultra capacitor, which stores braking effort as electrical energy and releases it when full power is called for, the traffic-light grand prix is not a lost cause. Up to 30mph, the FCX out-accelerated most cars, even a Porsche, on LA's congested streets. And one Italian journalist gained the dubious honour of being the first person to get a speeding ticket in a fuel-cell car.

Proper mass-produced fuel-cell vehicles may be at least 10 to 20 years off yet, but that doesn't mean motor manufacturers aren't already jostling for position. By leasing these million cars to LA City Council at 0 a month (less than the cost of a medium-sized saloon), Honda has gained the accolade of making the world's first commercially available fuel-cell car.

Toyota was only two days behind its rival in getting its fuel-cell 4x4 to market - this might be a small, loss-making step for the accountants, but it's a giant publicity leap for Honda. Hollywood star Tom Hanks has already got behind the wheel of the FCX and expressed interest in buying or leasing one.
As with Mr Hanks, we drove round the streets of downtown LA. The first impression is of weight - hardly surprising as the FCX tips the scales at 1.7 tonnes - and the ride and handling suffer. With the floor 18 inches off the ground, the Honda rolls in corners and thumps over bumps, while the stiff tyres transmitted most of the road noise from LA's freeways. The electrically assisted steering is well weighted, though, and the brakes are more than up to the job.

The 78kW Ballard fuel-cell supplies its current to an 80bhp electric motor, which powers the front wheels. Maximum speed is quoted at 93mph, but at 70mph the Honda is slow to accelerate and unwieldy. With 3.75kg of hydrogen in its aluminium and carbon fibre tanks, the FCX has a quoted range of 170 miles, although Honda advises people not to do round trips of 120 miles "just in case". Nevertheless, from a car that runs on air and emits only water, this is a small inconvenience.

Tell us about your car in our Driver Power survey.