Honda Unveils New Fuel Cell Concept

Jan. 1, 2020

TOCHIGI, JAPAN (October 2, 2006) - Honda Motor Co. has unveiled its next-generation FCX Concept fuel cell vehicle. The new FCX Concept features a redesigned compact, high-efficiency Honda Fuel Cell (FC) Stack, as well as a low-floor, low-riding, shor

NEW VEHICLESHonda Unveils New Fuel Cell Concept

New Honda FCX Concept.
(Photo: Honda)TOCHIGI, JAPAN (October 2, 2006) - Honda Motor Co. has unveiled its next-generation FCX Concept fuel cell vehicle. The new FCX Concept features a redesigned compact, high-efficiency Honda Fuel Cell (FC) Stack, as well as a low-floor, low-riding, short-nose body. It offers a comfortably large cabin and futuristic styling, along with significant improvements in power output and environmental performance. The concept has a maximum top speed of 100 mph, and has a travel range of more than 350 miles. Honda said that limited marketing of a totally new fuel cell vehicle based on this concept model is to begin in 2008 in both Japan and the United States. To meet Honda objectives for significant gains in both environmental and driving performance, the FCX Concept is equipped with a V Flow fuel cell platform with the FC Stack arranged in a center-tunnel layout. Honda says this allowed designers to create an elegant, low-riding, sedan that would have been difficult to achieve in a conventional fuel cell vehicle. This new fuel cell stack is 20 percent smaller and 30 percent lighter than the current FCX FC Stack, yet its power output is 14 kilowatts (kW) greater.

FCX Components: Lithium-ion battery pack (left), Honda FC Stack (center), Power Control Unit (right).
(Photo: Honda)

The drive motor has been positioned coaxially with the gearbox for a more compact design, with output increased by 15 kW. Overall, the power plant is about 180 kg lighter than that of the current FCX, and about 40 percent smaller in volume. The result is improved energy efficiency and performance, along with a more spacious interior.

While Honda's previous fuel cell stacks used hydrogen and water to generate electricity horizontally, the new FCX Concept features vertical-flow design. This allows gravity to assist in discharging the water that is produced, resulting in a major improvement in water drainage - the key to higher-efficiency fuel cell stack performance. The result is stable power generation under a broad range of conditions, and higher output from a smaller package.

Low-temperature start-up has also been significantly improved, enabling cold-weather starts at temperatures 50