Next Generation of Hybrids - Fuel Cells

[metta]

Honda CR-Z Hybrid and FCX Clarity Fuel Cell Vehicle Introduce Detroit to Next-Generation Green Cars




DETROIT, U.S.A., January 13, 2008–The Honda CR-Z, a lightweight sports hybrid concept vehicle, and the FCX Clarity, a hydrogen fuel cell vehicle set to begin limited retail marketing in summer 2008, are bringing some of the most advanced environmental technologies from Honda to the 2008 North American International Auto Show.

CR-Z
Making its North American debut, the CR-Z is a next-generation lightweight sports car concept equipped with Honda's original gas-electric hybrid system that achieves both clean performance and a high level of torque. The CR-Z stands for "Compact Renaissance Zero" - an expression intended to capture the idea of a renaissance in the design of compact cars that begins anew from fundamentals. The design research model of a lightweight hybrid sports car features advanced technologies that deliver elevated driving performance while reducing the vehicle's environmental footprint.



CR-Z

Designed to be futuristic and dynamic, the CR-Z combines powerful performance in a compact form with a futuristic image. For its frontal view, an over-sized grill with a high-performance look is offset by openings on each side that lighten the overall feel. In the rear, tube-shaped rear combination lamps create a powerful presence.

Design details emphasizing the CR-Z's advanced image include door mirrors that provide high visibility in a stylish form, LED headlights that convey a sharp impression, and jaunty fin-shaped sub-lights. Large 19-inch wheels suggest dynamic driving performance.

The key words for the CR-Z's interior design are "Hi-tech and Sporty." The goal was to create an all-new sporty interior that fuses the liberating feel of airy spaciousness with an advanced interface that brings out the fun of driving. Mesh material on a simple framework construction is used throughout the interior to convey a light, sophisticated image. In the cockpit, the meter unit conveys the image of advanced technology ensconced in a piece of glass artwork, offering quick recognition and a futuristic and exhilarating appearance. The CR-Z concept vehicle made its world debut at the 40th Tokyo Motor Show in November and indicates the styling direction for a second, new hybrid vehicle to be introduced by Honda Motor Co., Ltd. The other future hybrid vehicle, designed to meet the needs of a family and priced below the Civic Hybrid, is planned for introduction in 2009.

FCX Clarity
The FCX Clarity is a next-generation, zero-emissions, hydrogen-powered fuel cell vehicle based on the entirely new Honda V Flow fuel cell platform, and powered by the highly compact, efficient and powerful Honda V Flow fuel cell stack. Featuring tremendous improvements to driving range, power, weight and efficiency - and boasting a low-slung, dynamic and sophisticated appearance, previously unachievable in a fuel cell vehicle - the FCX Clarity marks the significant progress Honda continues to make in advancing the real-world performance and appeal of the hydrogen-powered fuel cell car.



FCX Clarity

American Honda plans to lease the FCX Clarity to a limited number of retail consumers in Southern California with the first deliveries taking place in summer 2008. Full details of the lease program will be set closer to launch, but current plans call for a three-year lease term with a price of $600 per month.

American Honda is also developing a service infrastructure that provides customers with the best balance of convenience and the highest quality of service. When the FCX Clarity requires periodic maintenance, customers will simply schedule a visit with their local Honda dealer. American Honda will transport the vehicle to its fuel cell service facility, located in the greater Los Angeles area, where all required work will be performed. At the completion of the work, the customer will pick up their car from the dealer.

The FCX Clarity utilizes Honda's V Flow stack in combination with a new compact and efficient lithium ion battery pack and a single hydrogen storage tank to power the vehicle's electric drive motor. The fuel cell stack operates as the vehicle's main power source. Hydrogen combines with atmospheric oxygen in the fuel cell stack, where chemical energy from the reaction is converted into electric power used to propel the vehicle. Additional energy captured through regenerative braking and deceleration is stored in the lithium ion battery pack, and used to supplement power from the fuel cell, when needed. The vehicle's only emission is water. The FCX Clarity's revolutionary new V Flow platform packages the ultra-compact, lightweight and powerful Honda V Flow fuel cell stack (65 percent smaller than the previous Honda FC stack) in the vehicle's center tunnel, between the two front seats. Taking advantage of a completely new cell configuration, the vertically-oriented stack achieves an output of 100 kilowatts (kW) (versus 86kW in the current Honda FC stack) with a 50 percent increase in output density by volume (67 percent by mass). Its compact size allows for a more spacious interior and more efficient packaging of other powertrain components, which would otherwise be unattainable in a sleek, low-slung sedan. Honda introduced the FCX Clarity at the 2007 Los Angeles Auto Show in November.

Honda is a leader in the development of leading-edge technologies to improve fuel efficiency and reduce CO2 emissions, including advanced gasoline engines, gasoline-electric hybrids, natural gas-powered engines, and hydrogen fuel cells.

http://world.honda.com/news/2008/4080113Next-Generation-Green-Cars/

 

[SexyGuy]

I'm sorry for the bump, but I find this interesting...

I don't think hydrogen is our way out of the energy crisis at hand.

One, it takes energy to extract it from its primary source (water). Sure we can use solar energy to get the hydrogen, but still. That takes time.

Two, it takes more energy to keep it in its liquid state -- the melting point for hydrogen is -259.14 °C, or, -434.45 °F, or 14K; A couple degrees above absolute zero. And I know it takes a lot of energy to sustain that temperature.

Third, what infrastructure is going to support this? I know of only three cities in the US that are going to be the guinea pigs for such a project: White Plains (near NYC), LA, and DC. White Plains was the most recent city to be chosen. Click.

Fourth, have they done the crash testing on these cars? I mean really: you have a tank full of liquid hydrogen. When you get into a crash, there are going to be sparks... Sparks + Hydrogen = BIG BOOM. I don't know about you, but I like my body to be recognizable after I get out one of these cars.

Don't get me wrong. I'm all for using alternative fuels, and greener solutions, but some things are better left in the realm of imagination. Unless someone develops the technology to produce hydrogen dirt cheap (and I mean dirt cheap), and ensure that in a collision (and I mean from any collision, from any angle, even from below or above the car itself) the tank doesn't rupture and cause an explosion, I predict that it will not be that successful.

Now, for a greener car, why not use plug-in electric cars that get their power from a solar array? The way I see it, if a customer buys one of these vehicles, the oil companies have to either buy a small solar array, or pay at least half the cost for it. Or why not even use air? I remember an article about how a small French company developed a car that runs on air. Here's the link for it: http://www.gizmag.com/go/3523/ Really fascinating. And yet, I have yet to see any here in the US. It came out in 2004/05. OR what about the SMART car? Link: http://www.smartusa.com/ This is going to be my next car after I pay off the car I have now. I have seen about 2 or 3 on the road, and luckily there is a dealership in my vicinity... Might just make a stop there tomorrow...

Anyways. My point is that we shouldn't rely on Hydrogen fuel cells driven cars. What we should do is look for better alternatives, like electric cars, air cars, or even super efficient gasoline cars.

 

[metta]

This looks like it is going to work out perfect for me. My current toyota prius hybrid lease is up near the end of 2010...weeeee.....


Toyota promises plug-in hybrid vehicle by 2010

http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20080611/ap_on_bi_ge/japan_toyota;_ylt=AqtIUUApzTV9HLJh917o2kYDW7oF

The fuel cell vehicles look interesting as well. I wonder how much they will be. I think that Honda has two coming mid this year.

http://automobiles.honda.com/fcx-clarity/

http://automobiles.honda.com/cr-z/


http://www.gizmag.com/honda-fuel-cell-fcx/8394/

 

[metta]

Honda rolls out new zero-emission car

In California, a three-year lease will run $600 a month, which includes maintenance and collision coverage.

The fuel cell draws on energy synthesized through a chemical reaction between hydrogen gas and oxygen in the air, and a lithium-ion battery pack provides supplemental power. The FCX Clarity has a range of about 270-miles per tank with hydrogen consumption equivalent to 74 miles per gallon, according to the carmaker.
The 3,600-pound vehicle can reach speeds up to 100 miles per hour.

Honda said it received 50,000 applications through its website but could only consider those living near stations in Torrance, Santa Monica and Irvine.

Honda also plans to launch a gas-electric hybrid-only model, as well as hybrid versions of the Civic, the sporty CR-Z and Fit subcompact.

http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/japan_honda;_ylt=Ag_hauc_kEeao926YEfvd8YDW7oF

 

[metta]

Toyota to add solar panels to some Prius hybrids

http://news.yahoo.com/s/nm/20080707/bs_nm/toyota_dc;_ylt=AvyIjs56SnOsTqx5vVAK388DW7oF

The panels, supplied by Kyocera Corp would be able to power part of the air-conditioning on high-end versions of the gasoline-electric Prius, the source said.

"It's more of a symbolic gesture," said the source, who asked not to be identified. "It's very difficult to power much more than that with solar energy."

 

[metta]

New Honda Hybrid to be Called 'Insight', Priced Around $19K

Honda Insight Hybrid, Take Two
It seems like the rumors were true. Honda's all new dedicated hybrid is going to be called 'Insight', and a concept version (shown above) will be introduced at the Paris Auto Show in October, with a final version going to market in the US during the Spring 2009. Because there isn't much time between the unveiling of the concept and the final version, we can safely guess that there won't be too many changes made to it (it will probably lose the fancy wheels and blue LEDs). In any case, it hasn't changed much since the spy shots we published a couple months ago.
What We Know About the New Honda Insight Hybrid
According to the official Honda release, "the all-new purpose-built Insight will come to market at a price significantly below hybrids available today." Word on the street on pricing hovers around $18,500-19,000, which would make it significantly cheaper than its main rival, the Toyota Prius.

As you can see in the pic above, the new Insight takes design cues from the FCX Clarity (shown in the middle). In the back is the Honda CRZ concept, which should also be released as a hybrid.
We also know that Honda will use a technology to "assist customers in achieving more fuel efficient driving habits". Could it be something similar to Nissan's ECO Pedal? Or could it be new ways to visually show fuel economy data on a LCD screen?
The New, Less Expensive IMA Hybrid Drivetrain
A good portion of the cost savings come from the new version of Honda's Integrated Motor Assist (IMA) system, which is what it has used in all its hybrids so far. In it, the electric motor is sandwiched between the gas engine and the transmission, acting as a oversized starter and as an assist traction motor. Unlike in hybrids like the Toyota Prius or Ford Escape Hybrid, Honda's hybrids cannot move on electric power alone, and that should stay the same for the Insight version 2.0.
The Insight is expected to have annual global sales of 200,000 units per year - approximately 100,000 in North America.

http://www.treehugger.com/files/2008/09/honda-insight-hybrid-car-concept-paris.php

 

[cocktales]

WOW!

Have you guys seen the NEW GM-Chevy Volt?

I think it's possibly one of the hottest, nicest looking Fuel Cell cars in the near future!

Look at this:

IMAGINE: A DAILY COMMUTE WITHOUT USING A DROP OF GAS.

The extended-range electric vehicle is no longer just a rumor. GM have put tremendous design and engineering resources in place to
make this vehicle a reality.

The Concept Chevy Volt, with its revolutionary E-Flex Propulsion System, will be different than any previous electric vehicle because it will use a lithium-ion battery with a variety of range-extending onboard power sources, including gas and, in some vehicles, E85 ethanol(1) to recharge the battery while driving.

When it comes to plugging in, the Volt will be designed to use a common 110–volt household plug.

For someone who drives less than 40 miles a day, Chevy Volt will use zero gasoline and produce zero emissions.

(2) For longer trips, Chevy Volt's range-extending power source kicks in to recharge the lithium-ion battery pack as required.

“We have devoted significant resources to this project: Over 200 engineers and 50 designers are working on the Volt alone, and another 400 are working on related subsystems and electric components. That’s how important we think this is, and that’s how much stock we place in the future of extended-range electric
vehicles like the Chevy Volt.”

Man, I would buy one tomorrow, if available!

What do you think?

 

[thermodynamics]

What's the initial cost? That's the most important detail left out of many articles like this.

You can buy a lot of gasoline and carbon offsets for the cost of a fuel cell.

 

[metta]

Chevrolet Volt Concept

 

[cocktales]

Metta,

Brilliant!

Thanks.............