30th October 2007

Honda's next generation hydrogen-powered fuel cell vehicle will make its world debut at the Los Angeles Auto Show on 14th November, American Honda Motor Co., Inc., has announced. Based on the FCX Concept which has been shown at several test drive events over the past year, the all-new fuel cell vehicle will be marketed to fleet and retail customers in the U.S. and Japan beginning in 2008, having already gained certification to meet all applicable federal government emissions and crash-safety standards.

Honda says its recent breakthroughs in fuel cell technology will enable levels of performance, room, comfort, and dynamic styling previously unattainable in a fuel cell car, to appeal to real world consumers. It features a lithium-ion battery pack, another technology in which Honda has seemingly beaten rivals to market. Honda is the first and so far only manufacturer to lease a fuel cell vehicle to an individual customer, with a second customer for the FCX added this year.

The company has said nothing about how the new FCV's architecture may differ from that of the outgoing FCX prototype.