Did you ever think you will see the day where the car that you drive can simply run on h20? Well that day might come sooner than later as Honda is developing a vehicle that will be able to do this. Honda's FCX Clarity is their emissions-free car, the power source is Honda's Solar Hydrogen Station. The solar-powered electrolyzer converts water into oxygen and hydrogen, and is designed for home use.
The combination produces an emissions-free ride. At the center of FCX Clarity is a fuel cell that uses hydrogen in the tank to create the electricity for its electric motor. The fuel cell is called Honda's V Flow (for vertical flow).
The stack stands vertically between the FCX's front seats, thus it does not take up valuable space. It eliminates a major drawback. When the fuel cell combines hydrogen and oxygen the only by-product is water. Water must be drained completely every time the fuel cell is shut down. In winter, any water left within the fuel cell freezes. The V Flow addition relies on gravity and a small fan to rid the cell of the water.
According to Honda: The 100-kW V Flow stack works in conjunction with a 288-volt lithium-ion battery. The need for the battery is two-fold. First, the waste kinetic energy captured during the regenerative braking phase is stored in the battery. Second, the battery acts as the buffer between the electric motor's demand for more power (when the driver accelerates) and the time the fuel cell needs to satisfy the increased demand.
The electric motor delivers 134 horsepower and 189 foot-pounds of torque at 3,056 rpm. Clarity bridges the 80-to-120-kilometers-an-hour gap in 9.3 seconds, has a top speed of 160 km/h.
As for Clarity itself, there is plenty of room up front, limo-like rear-seat legroom and 13.1 cubic feet of cargo space. Except for the near silence, the driving experience was remarkably normal. Currently, the FCX Clarity, the first fuel cell-powered car to be built on a dedicated production line, is in its introductory phase.
Find out more about Hondas' vehicles at Brandfon Honda - 515 West Main Street Branford CT 06405.
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