Image 1 of 13
The Honda Clarity is more than just an innovative concept. This is a production version of the Fuel Cell Vehicle (FCV) the brand has been tinkering with for years, and one that you’ll be able to buy in the UK next year.
It’s actually Honda’s third attempt at developing an FCV, following the 2002 FCX and the FCX Clarity from 2008. The issue with the original Clarity was that Honda only ever built 72 examples, and all of them were sold in California. This time it’s different, as following initial sales and leasing trials to businesses in Japan in March 2016, the Clarity will be heading to the UK. It’ll be priced from around £42,000 when it arrives late next year, yet only via lease deals initially.
However, the car certainly won’t be alone when it touches down in Britain, with the Toyota Mirai and Hyundai ix35 FCV already available here.
Image 5 of 13
Like both of its rivals, the Honda mixes oxygen from the air with hydrogen in a tank to produce electricity that then powers the front wheels. The company says the car is capable of 435 miles on a single tank of hydrogen – considerably more than the 300 miles that Toyota claims for the Mirai.
The Clarity continues to impress inside. Honda has been able to reduce the size of the fuel cell stack by 33 per cent over the system that was fitted to the previous FCX, while at the same time improving power density by 60 per cent. It means the stack is now comparable in size to a V6 engine, which has allowed Honda to fit it beneath the bonnet – a world first for an FCV. That frees up space in the cabin for five, whereas the Toyota can only seat four.
• Best electric cars on sale now
Despite its rather complex drivetrain, the Clarity requires no additional skill to drive. In fact, it’s remarkably simple. Depress the brake, hit the starter button, and several beeps are followed by a space-age whirr from the motors. The system promises 134bhp, which doesn’t sound like much, but the instantaneous power delivery can make it feel like more. There aren’t any official performance figures as yet, although the car doesn’t feel much slower than a Nissan Leaf, which races from 0-62mph in around 11 seconds.
Image 2 of 13
As speed builds, the initial thrust of acceleration begins to tail off at around 60mph – but this doesn’t mean that the Honda can’t sit comfortably on a motorway cruise. Unlike an EV, which emits an eerie whirr at speed, the Clarity has an almost mechanical quality.
The steering feels light and taking fast corners will produce some noticeable lean in the body due to the car’s weight. Honda won’t tell us exactly how heavy it is, but it’s certainly not a car that would feel at home being hustled down a B-road. The Mirai is arguably more fun, yet neither compares to a modern-day SEAT Leon or Ford Focus.
After a while, there’s every chance you could even forget you’re driving a hydrogen car – given the rather conventional look of the cabin – and that’s no bad thing. Honda’s familiar infotainment system is housed in the dash and the controls for the climate controls look like they could have been plucked straight from a Civic hatchback.
Image 10 of 13
There’s a decent amount of passenger space in the rear, too. The tight middle seat will make it a bit of a squeeze for three adults to sit abreast, yet it’s not impossible. The boot also appears to be a decent size, despite being impeded by the hydrogen tank. Like many of the FCV’s finer details, Honda won’t reveal the load area’s proportions, but does insist you’ll have no trouble fitting in three sets of golf clubs – which is entirely believable.
One issue remains, however, and that’s infrastructure. There are currently just 11 hydrogen filling stations in the UK, so one of these cars is a world away from being easy to run every day. Still, Honda is making steps towards improving that and will offer buyers the option of purchasing a small hydrogen production station for their home, which can create enough hydrogen to fill three cars. Trouble is, it will take more than four days to make enough to fill one.
- Price: £42,000
- Engine: Hydrogen fuel cell stack with lithium-ion battery
- Power: 134bhp
- Transmission: Single-speed fixed ratio, front-wheel drive
- 0-62mph: 11.0 seconds (est)
- CO2: 0g/km
- On sale: 2016