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Honda to Present 2016 FCV Concept at Detroit Auto Show 2015

Once considered to complicated and unsafe, fuel cell cars are now being re-considered by many of the largest automakers in the world. Toyota seems to be leading the charge with the Mirai, a car that's expected in dealerships come fall 2015 and will cost $45,000 when the US government grans are taken into account.
2016 Honda FCV Concept 12 photos
Photo: Honda
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Both Audi and Volkswagen have revealed their own FCV concepts at the Los Angeles Auto Show recently, though they said the technology is still in it infancy. Honda is not concerned and is charging forwards with the FCV Concept, poised to make its North American debut at the Detroit Auto Show.

Confirmed for production

Toyota first previewed the Mirai with a concept car, just as bold and revolutionary as the Honda FCV. It then watered down its work slightly and plans to put it into production next fall. The big H will do the same. After its Detroit debut, the FCV will undergo riguros testing and has been confirmed for a debut in March 2016. How precise of them!

Better range than Toyota?

Thanks to advanced aerodynamics and a very large 70 MPa high-pressure hydrogen tank, the Honda FCV is expected to have a maximum range of over 700 km (435 miles), at least according to the Japanese cycle. On the other hand, Toyota's car only boasts about 300 miles (equivalent to 483 kilometer.

In the real world, this technology is so new that we doubt there will be any significant difference between the two cars. But one thing is for sure: FCVs now have range comparable to regular cars.

Toyota vs Honda, Round 2, Fight!

Not many people know this, but Honda was just as groundbreaking a company in the field of hybrids as Toyota. It's just that California's rich and famous preferred the Prius. The first-gen Insight went on sale in Japan almost at the same time as its more famous rival.

As hybrids have come mainstream, Honda has been forced to kill off some of it's electrified cars, like the Insight and CR-Z, now concentrating on the Accord range.

It seems the new battle is going to be for the hydrogen market and Honda does have a very impressive resume:

  • The Honda FCX was the first fuel-cell vehicle to start and operate in sub-freezing temperatures (2003).
  • The FCX was the first fuel-cell vehicle leased to an individual customer (July 2005).
  • With the FCX Clarity, Honda was the first manufacturer to build and produce a dedicated fuel-cell vehicle on a production line specifically made for fuel-cell vehicles (2008).
  • Honda was the first manufacturer to create a fuel-cell vehicle dealer network (2008).
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About the author: Mihnea Radu
Mihnea Radu profile photo

Mihnea's favorite cars have already been built, the so-called modern classics from the '80s and '90s. He also loves local car culture from all over the world, so don't be surprised to see him getting excited about weird Japanese imports, low-rider VWs out of Germany, replicas from Russia or LS swaps down in Florida.
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