The 2005 Honda FCX fuel cell vehicle (FCV) has been certified by both the United States Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and the California Air Resources Board (CARB) for commercial use, according to Weststart/Calstart on August 10. The 2005-model FCX — Honda’s second-generation FCV and the first to be powered by a Honda-designed and manufactured fuel-cell stack — achieves a nearly 20-percent improvement in its EPA fuel economy rating and a 33-percent gain in peak power (107 hp vs. 80 hp) compared to the 2004 FCX. With an EPA city/highway rating of 62/51 miles per kilogram [mpkg] (57mpkg combined) and an EPA-rated driving range of 190 miles, the hydrogen-powered FCX delivers nearly a 20-percent improvement in fuel efficiency and range versus the 2004 model with an EPA rating of 51/46mpkg (48mpkg combined) and a range of 160 miles. In terms of energy efficiency, one mpkg of hydrogen is almost equivalent to one mile per gallon (mpg) of gasoline. The hydrogen-powered Honda FCX has been certified by CARB as a Zero Emission Vehicle (ZEV) and by the EPA as a Tier-2 Bin 1 National Low Emission Vehicle (NLEV), the lowest possible national emission rating. According to Honda, the FC Stack also provides for increased range and performance while reducing the cost and complexity of the fuel-cell system. It also allows the 2005 FCX to start and operate in below-freezing temperatures, which until now has been a major hurdle to the marketability of fuel-cell vehicle technology.