2003 Honda FCX Highlights
* The 2003 Honda FCX is powered by a hydrogen fuel cell that produces electricity onboard the vehicle. A fuel cell combines hydrogen (stored in a tank) with oxygen in the air to make electricity (and water as a byproduct.) Electricity powers the electric motor, which in turn propels the vehicle.
* Honda's FCX was certified by the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and the California Air Resources Board (CARB) in July 2002 making it the first fuel cell car in history to be certified for commercial use.
* Unique Honda technology in the FCX includes the Honda designed Ultra Capacitor that stores energy generated by the fuel cell (and energy from regenerative braking) for quick bursts of power during acceleration.
* The FCX uses technology from a variety of existing Honda products. The EV Plus electric vehicle (produced from 1997 to1999) provides the platform for the FCX and like the EV Plus, the FCX uses an electric motor for propulsion. Honda's existing research in electric vehicles (EV Plus), compressed natural gas vehicles (Civic GX) and Hybrid vehicles (Insight and Civic Hybrid) provide valuable real world experience in performance and safety issues related to gaseous fuel storage and high voltage safety in a vehicle.
* The FCX provides good driving characteristics. The 201-lb.-ft. of torque produced by the FCX's electric motor is comparable to the torque produced by a V-6 engine. Overall performance is comparable to a Honda Civic.