Honda Clarity FCX — Home Energy Station
Kurt Brouwer May 30th, 2008
Source: Honda
Bring It On
I love this illustration. It reminds me of ‘the home of the future’ magazine pieces from — dare I say it? — the 1950s or 1960s. Even though the world and the economy and our political system seem to be going through a rough patch, amazing things are happening. Companies such as Honda are quietly creating 21st century products such as the Clarity FCX and the Home Energy Station.
I have long felt that plug-in electric cars were the way to go because we all have electricity at home or the office and electricity is produced and distributed quite efficiently. Just imagine no more trips to the gas station to fill up. Just plug in your car when you’re home at night. What could be simpler?
Well, Honda has an idea they have been researching since 2003. And, they have taken the use of energy to power a car to a whole new level. Powering your car — and your home — from the same source.
Honda FCX Clarity - Home Energy Station (Automobiles.Honda.com)
Honda has operated an experimental Home Energy Station in Torrance, California, since 2003. The Home Energy Station, which generates hydrogen from natural gas, is designed to provide heat and electricity for the home through fuel cell cogeneration and to supply fuel for a hydrogen-powered fuel cell vehicle.
Honda has worked in cooperation with technology partner Plug Power, Inc., to reduce size and increase convenience in each subsequent generation of the Home Energy Station. In 2007 Honda developed Home Energy Station IV—which is even less expensive and better suited for home use than previous versions. CO2 emissions for a household using the Home Energy Station are 30% lower than those for an average household using a gasoline-engine car and commercial electricity…
The New York Times had a good review of this hydrogen-fueled vehicle [emphasis added]:
Hydrogen Car Is Here, A Bit Ahead Of Its Time (New York Times, December 9, 2007, Norman Mayersohn)
…Normalcy is a recurring, and intentional, theme of the FCX Clarity. It is refueled using a high-pressure connector tucked behind a typical gas-cap door on the rear fender. It has a handsome exterior, a nice audio system and plenty of knee room in the back. (A design analysis is at nytimes.com/autos) Anyone who has driven a Toyota Prius will feel at home with the dash-mounted gear selector and the park button.
Honda has not announced who will get the FCX Claritys or how many will be available in Southern California, where the program begins. Households will be selected, in part, for their ready access to hydrogen stations. Honda is realistic about the slow growth of a hydrogen infrastructure as well as the viewpoint that fuel cells may not seem to make much sense using current methods of hydrogen production.
But there are practical matters to consider as well: compared with alternatives like plug-in hybrids, the onboard energy supply is quicker to replenish and has a better travel range, 270 miles. Moreover, in Honda’s full-cycle calculation, a fuel-cell vehicle can reduce carbon dioxide output by half compared with a gasoline vehicle. In the United States, where much electricity is produced from coal, it is even better than a battery-electric car, Honda says…
Exciting isn’t it? Honda is doing this all on its own and I applaud the company’s effort on this. One thing many folks — and political leaders too — forget is that progress comes in uneven waves. Also, the reductionist or Malthusian approach to viewing the world (for example, the ‘Peak’ oil discussion) always fails to include technological breakthroughs.
Speaking of technological breakthroughs, can you imagine how great it would be to pull into your driveway and show off this hydrogen-fueled sedan to your family and friends? 
Source: New York Times/Honda
Via: Donald L. Luskin
- Business , Economy , Geopolitics , Money
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What a bad idea! Spend electic power to convert to hydregen which is explosive. I have also learned that it disapates over time when sitting unused. Also what do you do if you travel beyond your fuel limit. You don’t. You call a tow truck.
Actually, the hydrogen is produced by natural gas. So, the home and the car are fueled by the same energy source. Clearly, this is only feasilbe now where there are refueling stations. That was true of gas-powered cars once too.
I am very happy to see the hydorgen Honda! I have one reservation, however; why not make hydorgen via solar rather than natural gas? From what I gather, converting natural gas to hydrogen creates alot of carbon dioxide, so why not solar? The US solar array idea in the AZ desert suppling 69% of the USA electricity could also be properly managed to produce hydorgogen at the same exact time!
RonGM1 lol too funny! Do you work for gm? sorry about your unemployed luck. If you worked for a company like honda you would still be working, and have a job with a future. American car companines got fat and lazy and will be a memory soon. The only people complaining are the ones who got beat and now have to play catch up to the japanese.