Tokyo September 28, 2000 -- Honda Motor Co., Ltd. today unveiled its fuel cell - powered vehicle, the FCX- V3, which is to be sent to participate in the California Fuel Cell Partnership program (CaFCP) scheduled to begin in November 2000. Honda has been considering public road testing to verify the potential fuel cell vehicle market in Japan and the United States, and participation in the general road testing being implemented by the CaFCP in the U.S. state of California will serve as a first step toward bringing the company's fuel cell vehicle research into the market feasibility study stage. 

In the fuel cell-powered FCX-V3, Honda has realized a fuel cell system with integrated control systems, a more compact drive motor, and a cabin large enough to seat four people. The vehicle also features improved startup and quieter operation than previous versions for improved viability as a commercial product. Its powerplant includes a Ballard Power Systems fuel cell stack, fueled by hydrogen stored under high pressure, combined with a newly developed ultra-capacitor. The excellent continuous electric power generation of the fuel cell stack and the powerful, instantaneous discharge capabilities of the ultra-capacitor have been combined to realize a fuel cell-based powerplant offering much-improved takeoff and acceleration performance. In addition, regenerative energy systems, reduction of discharge loss, and other measures have also been integrated to contribute to improve fuel economy and achieve highly efficient energy management. 

The FCX-V3 is the latest in a long line of vehicles actively developed by Honda to reduce the burden cars place on the earth's environment through low emissions, high efficiency, and/or the use of alternative fuels. The FCX-V3 incorporates many of the elemental technologies Honda has cultivated over the years for use in these vehicles, for example the motor drive technologies developed for the company's EV Plus electric car, the energy management systems used in the Insight hybrid car, and the high-pressure gas storage tank technologies developed for the natural gas- powered Civic GX car. Honda is also actively engaged in the independent research and development of a Honda-made stack, an important element in fuel cell vehicle technology.