Honda Names Fuel Cell Vehicle

Honda Motor Co. plans to initially sell its hydrogen-powered 2017 Clarity Fuel Cell sedan in Japan to government agencies and businesses with plans to offer the vehicle to retail customers at a later date. However, the automaker isn't expected to follow that strategy in the U.S.

Staff Writer・Editorial

Read Staff's Posts

November 2, 2015

Honda Names Fuel Cell Vehicle — *Photo courtesy of Honda*

2 min to read

The Clarity Fuel Cell is expected to arrive in the U.S. at some point in 2016. American Honda is expected to release details about its U.S. strategy for the sedan at the Los Angeles Auto Show later this month.

"American Honda's track record is to focus on retail customers," said Stephen Ellis, American Honda's manager of fuel cell vehicle marketing. "Occasionally, we value and appreciate the value of fleets."

Honda showed the planned production model of its Clarity Fuel Cell at the Toyota Motor Show on Oct. 28, and offered a few more details about the sedan that will operate similarly to a gasoline-electric hybrid with combusted high-pressure H2 gas powering an electric motor.

A 70MPa high-pressure hydrogen storage tank installed to the Clarity Fuel Cell provides a range of more than 300 miles, and can be refilled in approximately three minutes, according to Honda.

When combined with an external power feeding device, the Power Exporter 9000, the Clarity Fuel Cell can also function as a "power plant on wheels" that generates and provides electricity to feed approximately seven days' worth of electricity for an average household. Honda has not released details about the device for the U.S. market.

The fuel cell stack for this model was downsized by 33% with an output of more than 100kW and output density of 3.1 kW/L for an approximately a 60% improvement over its outgoing FCX Clarity. The fuel cell powertrain is as compact as a V-6 engine.

Honda will begin sales of the Clarity Fuel Cell in March 2016. The Clarity Fuel Cell sedan will sell in Japan for about 7.66 million yen (or about $63,400). U.S. pricing has not been announced. The Clarity Fuel Cell will be sold in Japan in March and in the U.S. and Europe later in 2016.

Topics:Hydrogen Fuel Cell Vehicles Honda Fuel Cell Vehicle Green Fleet Global Fleet

More Global Fleet

A person holding a clipboard and writing on an inspection checklist beside the wheel of a large white vehicle, likely conducting a fleet or safety inspection.

Cameras, Safety and Insurance: From Reactive Claims to Real-time Prevention

Commercial auto remains one of the most challenging and costly lines of coverage for fleet operators and insurers alike. Learn more about how to effectively address these issues from Onur Aksan, Enterprise Business Development Executive, Geotab.

Cover of a whitepaper titled “The Hidden Costs of Departmentally Assigned Vehicles on Your Fleet” featuring a black fleet vehicle driving on a road at sunset. Subheadline reads: “Discover how your fleet can reduce costs and minimize risk by implementing vehicle sharing.” The document focuses on fleet optimization, vehicle sharing, cost reduction, utilization tracking, and risk management for fleet operations.

Why Fleet Managers Are Replacing Departmental Vehicles with Shared Motor Pools

Departmentally assigned vehicles often create hidden costs through underutilization, poor visibility, and increased administrative burden. This white paper explores how shared motor pool strategies help fleets reduce costs, improve accountability, and optimize vehicle utilization.

Fleet Costs Are Rising: Here’s How Leaders Are Responding

Fleet leaders are under pressure to reduce costs, adapt to economic uncertainty, and make smarter decisions. See how peers across North America are responding with real data, proven strategies, and forward-looking insights. Download the 2026 Market Pulse Report to benchmark your strategy and uncover where you can gain an edge.