Major achievements have been made in developing the advanced Fuel Cell Electric VehicleFCX Clarity.Considering when the actual development of fuel cell related technology has started atHonda and looking to the challenges ahead for its application in transportation, productivity inall areas has to be further improved and made explicitly faster for a typical mass productionof such vehicle. Limiting factor is not the body in white and its production but all new fuel cellrelated components that need to be manufactured at a very high quality level to ensure therequired lifetime. Measures have been introduced but need to be further explored and newspecifications need to be defined.In order to tackle all relevant issues after production such as servicing and maintenance,Honda developed already for the FCX Clarity the entirely necessary logistic chain fromdevelopment to sales and service. All information, such as workshop manuals, spare partslists and its related ordering system and so on are in place.Ramping up production to the widely discussed necessary levels, component costs have tobe reduced further and this not only based on higher volume but also initial material cost,especially for the fuel cell stack. Defined cost targets are very well established and mightpossibly be reached. The timing though remains a challenge.The FCX Clarity as such is showcasing the ultimate solution in clean transport for Honda andtherefore remains very high on our agenda.Comparing the achievements made in the fuel cell power train development withconventional technology, the future is already here today. Looking at the currently discussedalternatives it is very obvious that the fuel cell car has a while ago leap frogged the batteryelectric vehicle and this for good reasons. The FCX Clarity is a viable solution for today andthe near term future while the fuel cell electric power train installed will be the viable andultimate solution for vehicle propulsion for today and beyond 2015.
展开▼
