Water-fuel Honda Clarity turns the tide

Last time I checked Lithium was a known carcinogen, It may be zero emission but the technology to make the car is questionable at best where do all those end of life batteries go, landfill mostly, not to mention the emplacement costs would be huge. We have plenty of gas reserves what about CNG its low emission and compatible with existing technology.

The car may be zero emission, but where does the hydrogen come from. It would be produced by emmission producing industrial plants.The much simpler battery car would be a much less expensive proposition and also zero emmission as far as the car is concerned. The infrastructure required already exists to a great extent and any additional infrastructure required would be much cheaper and safer than hydrogen.

this is some good information thanks

"Once again, Honda has shown a 'green' car doesn't have to be ugly!" - are we looking at the same picture, Paul?

Brasil is doing well in alcool/etanol production. Sofisticated engines are always delayed here, but I believe it's the future.

Further to my earlier comment.......Below are links to sites with some very good information on the pros and cons of the hydrogen powered cars and other alternatives. The Wikipedia site gives a very good insight into the whole hydrogen powered vehicle dispute that seems to be developing. After doing some quick research I think it's more about the economic advantages to the major players. Who's backing who at this stage for long term gain. The more cars, the more fuel, the more taxes. The market being targeted is the biggest market and the one that is going to give the maximum return on investment. That market is us the general public. From a business point of view to all who benefit that makes sense. Why not target heavy/mass transport vehicles, eg. shipping, trucking, aircraft, trains etc. A lot less infastructure needed. The cost will still be passed onto us the consumer but I'll take the risk of guessing that cost would be cheaper than the possibility that we may all be forced into buying hydrogen powered cars if there is no other alternative. The following is taken from Wikipedia........More recently, The Wall Street Journal reported that "Top executives from General Motors Corp. and Toyota Motor Corp. Tuesday expressed doubts about the viability of hydrogen fuel cells for mass-market production in the near term and suggested their companies are now betting that electric cars will prove to be a better way to reduce fuel consumption and cut tailpipe emissions on a large scale." In addition, Ballard Power Systems, a leading developer of hydrogen vehicle technology, pulled out of the Hydrogen vehicle business in late 2007. Research Capital analyst Jon Hykawy concluded that Ballard saw the industry going nowhere and said: "In my view, the hydrogen car was never alive. The problem was never could you build a fuel cell that would consume hydrogen, produce electricity, and fit in a car. The problem was always, can you make hydrogen fuel at a price point that makes any sense to anybody. And the answer to that to date has been no." Replacement of the existing extensive gasoline fuel station infrastructure would cost a half trillion U.S. dollars in the United States alone. It seems that there are better alternatives to the hydrogen powered cars and still reduce fossil fuel emissions. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hydrogen_vehicle#Hydrogen_production_cost http://www.nytimes.com/2008/06/17/business/worldbusiness/17fuelcell.html http://berkeley.edu/news/media/releases/2003/07/17_fuels.shtml

The following is an excert from Daily News-Los Angeles. 26-6-2008. 'Los Angeles City Council member Bill Rosendahl and Graeme Sweeney, Executive Vice President for Shell Future Fuels and CO2 were among those who participated in today's dedication ceremony of Chevrolet's Project Driveway. The station is the third Shell Hydrogen vehicle refueling stations in the U.S.' Hopefully as more fuel cell powered vehicles end up on our roads we will have access to refuelling stations other than those that will provided by the likes of Shell. Unfortunately, I don't think so. Who can afford to set up new station sites. Shell/Coles, Caltex/Woolworths etc. already have the sites. They just need to change pumps etc. So who will control the price we pay. Can the Federal Government introduce laws now so that the price we pay won't be dictated by profit driven large companies. Bring on the 'Zero-emmission vehicles'. I'm sure we all agree that we need them for environmental reasons. With technology improving and mass production the vehicles will become cheaper hopefully! Will we still pay more for our fuel than its real worth and will it be cheaper than petrol or diesel. ??????????

Great car and great technology. This is one of the first fuel cell cars, it's not a hybrid. Hybrid are cars which still have a conventional combustion engine combined with an electric motor...that's why it's called a hybrid. This car has no combustion engine anymore. Only an electric motor, getting the power through an battery, which itself gets the energy of the fuel cell. why only available on lease? Because most probably no normal person can afford to buy that car.

my guess on the leasing is so as many (celebs) can try it out as possible, before being launched to a wider market. but also to ensure the cars are maintained in peak condition while they're in a public testing phase. I like the design a whole lot more than the Prius or the typical boring Honda designs, it's much more reminiscent of the current model Citroen sedan.

Ok well done Honda, BUT what about a car for the family. I have a disabled child with a wheelchair and need lots of luggage room e.g stationwagon size. But I want to be green too and no one is developing a family car , sorry a realistic family car (large) and a forrester doesn't count too small and the territory not big enough in the back. So come on you car companies what about it ?????????????