Honda Made a Car, and They’re Only Selling It in California
Carlos Kirby
· 4 min read
Can the natural air that is all around us power a vehicle? Well, for
Honda
, the answer is yes! That's what sets the Honda Clarity apart from other automobiles, it is a fuel cell electric car (FCEV).The implication, in this case, is that the automobile
generates electricity
from a chemical reaction between air and hydrogen. For that reason, you may be tempted to imagine that the Honda Clarity is a vehicle that runs on nothing.
What is so special about the California-specific Honda?
It appears as if the Honda Clarity generates power out of nothing. However, the truth is that the automobile is simply an EV that resembles a Tesla Model S or the Chevy Bolt in some ways. The only exception is that you do not plug in the Honda Clarity to recharge.
It is also worth mentioning that both Hyundai and Toyota have hydrogen-powered fuel-cell autos as well. These are the Hyundai Nexo and the Toyota Mirai. As is the case for the Clarity, both the Nexo and the Mirai are available for sale in California.
The Clarity fuel cell vehicle only emits clean water vapor into the atmosphere. Additionally, the Honda Clarity feels like an upscale of the Honda Accord in several ways.
The Honda Clarity has more interior space than the Toyota Mirai, the Chevy Bolt, and the Nissan Leaf. The automobile is also much nicer on the inside.
Honda Clarity specifications
First, understand that the Honda Clarity results from several experimental cars dating back to the late 1990s. Then, Honda focused on solving future problems, and the result was a series of FCX autos.
The Honda Clarity does not make 600 hp, but it does feel quick. The vehicle's output is 174 hp, which is beyond many other pure-electric automobiles and similar to the Chevy Bolt's 200 hp.
If you want to experience improved performance, the Honda Clarity also has an electric turbocharger, which supplies compressed air to serve that purpose.
Owning the Honda Clarity allows you to access a $15,000 fuel allowance. That is essentially free fuel for the length of the lease. Leasing the car will cost you about $400 a month, with a 20,000 miles per year mileage limit.
On the other hand, if the travel needs of those who own the Clarity take them far from hydrogen stations, they enjoy 21 days of luxury car rental.
Notable disadvantages
One of the notable setbacks of the Honda Clarity is that it runs on compressed hydrogen and those filling stations are quite rare.
As much as that is the case, there is one hydrogen filling station in West Los Angeles, Burbank, Sacramento, Long Beach, Santa Barbara, and Santa Monica. There are several hydrogen filling stations in the San Francisco Bay Area as well.
The interesting thing about all these cities is that they are in California,
MarketWatch
reported. That probably explains why Honda made the Clarity available in this state only. About 47 retail hydrogen stations are available in California. The automaker confirmed that the decision to sell the fuel cell version of the Clarity only in California is solely based on the availability of hydrogen fueling stations. However, a Clarity series that will include a plug-in hybrid electric vehicle (PHEV) and a battery electric vehicle (BEV) will be available in the future.
These options will be available for sale outside California, which is completely reasonable.
Indeed, automakers are focusing on filling the roads with EVs. If you intend to acquire one, you need to budget for auto insurance in advance. Signing up with
Jerry
allows you to access the best rates on motor vehicle coverage so you can avoid unnecessary expenses.
