By the end of the year, the United States will have sixty hydrogen refuelling stations in California and along the New York–Boston corridor. An ideal “green corridor” for the Honda Clarity Fuel Cell saloon, backed by a record-breaking range.
Just a few days ago, the hydrogen-powered Toyota Mirai saloon had set a historic distance record, "clocking up" 2,300 km in 24 hours across California and Nevada. A record achieved with zero environmental impact – the Mirai emits nothing but water vapour – aided in no small part by its declared range of 550 km. Now, as further proof of the vitality of the American fuel cell market, another model is stepping into the spotlight, backed by a certified range of nearly 600 km on a single fill. A new horizon.
It is the electric car with the greatest type-approved range in the United States. The Honda Clarity Fuel Cell, soon to go on sale in California, has been credited by the EPA (the US federal Environmental Protection Agency) with an exceptional average range of 589 km on every hydrogen fill. Priced in the States at $60,000 (just over 55,000 euros at the current exchange rate), the Japanese saloon, according to statements from the manufacturer, should in practice deliver 750 km on a full tank. As is customary, however, there is often a wide gap between what manufacturers claim and real-world performance. That aside, the 589 km certified by the EPA represents a record, helped in part by the car's relatively compact dimensions. Despite the space taken up by the fuel cells, the almond-eyed saloon measures no more than 4.89 metres in length, while still comfortably accommodating five passengers.
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The uptake of hydrogen as a fuel has so far run up against far from trivial challenges — stemming not so much from the technical complexity of fuel cell vehicles as from the difficulty of storing this fuel. Obstacles that, until now, seemed to have slowed — and partly discouraged — the creation of a widespread refuelling network. Thanks to the push from manufacturers, the trend now appears to have changed. The United States, for example, could realistically see around sixty stations up and running by the end of 2016, located mainly in California (48) and across five East Coast states, namely New York, New Jersey, Massachusetts, Connecticut and Rhode Island. The stations are positioned with the aim of creating a genuine "hydrogen corridor" stretching from the greater New York area to that of Boston.
Bob Carter, vice president of Toyota America – the Japanese manufacturer is a firm believer in the Mirai hydrogen saloon – argues that "in the United States there are already 16,000 potential buyers of a fuel cell car. We simply need to guarantee them an acceptable refuelling network. After that, the market will start to grow inexorably." A view shared by rival Honda. The Clarity Fuel Cell, specifically, promises rapid refuelling, with times of between 3 and 5 minutes, while the zero-emission motor delivers 177 hp. As is standard practice technically, the chemical reaction resulting from the combination of hydrogen and oxygen inside the fuel cells produces the electrical energy that powers the drivetrain. In addition to the ordinary driving mode, a Sport driving programme is available, offering a particularly responsive reaction to accelerator inputs. A feature that is more the exception than the rule – whereas it is rather less surprising news that the design is devoted to maximum aerodynamic efficiency – a constant among all sustainable vehicles that wish to maximise range – including the partial fairing of the rear wheels.
Honda and Toyota are ready. Now it is the infrastructure that needs to grow. It is on the availability of a widespread network of hydrogen refuelling stations that the success of fuel cell vehicles will hinge, and with it part of the future of sustainable mobility.