TORRANCE, CA — Fleet managers throughout the United States are leading the way to a hydrogen future by adding the Honda FCX second-generation fuel cell vehicle to their fleets, according to the Clean Cities Web site. To date, 14 FCX sedans were leased to six fleets – including Las Vegas, the State of New York, San Francisco, Los Angeles, Chula Vista, Calif., and the South Coast Air Quality Management District in Diamond Bar, Calif. The fleets sign two-year leases for the vehicles at a monthly cost of $500 per car. The first of the 14 FCXs in the United States was leased to the city of Los Angeles in December 2002. In the intervening years, Los Angeles has operated five hydrogen-powered fuel cell vehicles on a regular basis, accumulating more than 25,000 miles as part of its alternative fuel fleet. Customers for the upgraded 2005 FCX include the State of New York and, most recently, the City of Las Vegas. The State of New York is leasing two of the vehicles. The first was delivered in December 2004; the second vehicle will arrive in mid 2005. The two FCXs leased by Las Vegas will operate on a daily basis as part of the city's normal fleet operations. The vehicles will be fueled at a city-owned and operated hydrogen station. The Honda FCX is the only fuel cell vehicle to be certified by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency and the California Air Resources Board (CARB). The FCX operates by converting compressed gaseous hydrogen into electricity. It was certified by CARB as a zero-emission vehicle--its only emission is water. The 2005 FCX has a range of up to 190 miles and seating for four people, making it practical for a wide range of real-world applications.