November 22, 2002—Honda Motor Co., Ltd. announced today that its FCX fuel cell vehicle has been granted Japanese Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport approval, and that limited marketing will commence in Japan on December 2nd.

Honda initially plans a limited market release of around thirty vehicles over the first two to three years in Japan and the U.S. combined. One of the newly certified vehicles will be leased to the Cabinet Office. Next year, Honda plans to lease the vehicle to government offices and public corporations in Japan.

The FCX utilizes Honda’s own independently developed high-efficiency, high-output ultra-capacitor energy storage system to achieve powerful, responsive driving performance. Layout of the powertrain’s structural components has also been optimized to attain a spacious interior with room for four adults in a compact body that maintains a high level of collision safety performance no matter what the crash direction.

The FCX was the world’s first fuel cell vehicle to obtain U.S. government approval for commercialization in July, and Honda has entered into an agreement to lease five FCX vehicles to the City of Los Angeles. A vehicle delivery ceremony is scheduled to take place at Los Angeles City Hall on December 2nd, with L.A. Mayor James K. Hahn and Honda President and CEO Hiroyuki Yoshino in attendance.