Honda Delivers Hydrogen-Powered FCX Fuel Cell Car to Chula Vista

Press Release

Ten Honda FCX fuel cell cars in regular daily operation with United States

American Honda Motor Co., Inc., announced today the delivery of a Honda FCX, the world's most advanced hydrogen-powered fuel cell vehicle, to the city of Chula Vista.

The city of Chula Vista will lease the vehicle for a period of two years and will operate the FCX on a regular daily basis as part of their normal operations. The FCX will be refueled at a publicly accessible hydrogen station already operated by the city on their property. The placement of this FCX in tandem with the public accessibility of hydrogen fuel expands the geographical range for some of Honda's existing FCX customers, including the city of Los Angeles, city of San Francisco and California's South Coast Air Quality Management District (SCAQMD).

"The foresight and diligence shown by the city of Chula Vista concerning fuel cell development is commendable and Honda is pleased to have them as our next customer for the fuel cell powered FCX," said Gunnar Lindstrom, senior manager of Alternative Fuel Vehicles at American Honda Motor Co., Inc.

The Honda FCX is the world's first and only fuel cell car to be certified by the U.S. EPA and California Air Resources Board (CARB), and the only fuel cell vehicle in regular daily operation with multiple customers in the U.S. and Japan. CARB has certified the FCX as Zero Emission Vehicle (ZEV). In addition, the Honda FCX is also the only fuel cell vehicle to appear in the 2003 and 2004 EPA Fuel Economy Guide. The FCX has a range of up to 160 miles and seating for four people, making it practical for a wide range of real-world applications. In 2004, the city of San Francisco leased two cars, joining the City of Los Angeles (five vehicles) and the South Coast Air Quality Management District (two vehicles) as FCX customers. Additionally, the city of Los Angeles will celebrate its two year anniversary as Honda's first ever fuel cell customer on December 2, 2004.

Honda undertook fuel cell research in 1989 and has been road testing vehicles in the United States since 1999. Honda has also been a member of the California Fuel Cell Partnership based in Sacramento, Calif., since 1999.

Honda Fuel Cell Technology Milestones

2004

• FCX, Honda's second generation FCV, is certified by CARB as a Zero Emission Vehicle (ZEV) and by the EPA as Tier-2 Bin 1.
• South Coast Air Quality Management District takes delivery of two FCX vehicles.
• The city of San Francisco takes delivery of two FCX vehicles.
• Honda FC Stack is publicly demonstrated in Japan in below freezing conditions.

2003

• Honda develops breakthrough fuel cell stack (Honda FC Stack) that starts and operates at temperatures below freezing while improving fuel economy, range and performance with reduced cost and complexity.
• The city of Los Angeles takes delivery of three additional FCX vehicles.
• Honda showcases fuel cell technology at 2003 Challenge Bibendum.
• Honda begins experiments with hydrogen Home Energy Station (HES) and improves solar cell technology for production of hydrogen.

2002

• The 2003 model year Honda FCX becomes the first and only hydrogen-powered fuel cell vehicle to receive both EPA and CARB certification for commercial use.
• The city of Los Angeles begins a five vehicle lease program with two Honda FCX vehicles, the world's first commercial application of a fuel cell vehicle.

2001

• The first solar powered hydrogen production and fueling station built and operated by an auto company opens in Southern California at Honda R&D Americas headquarters in Torrance, Calif. as part of Honda's fuel cell technology and infrastructure development efforts.
• Fuel cell prototype vehicle FCX-V4 is introduced.

2000

• Honda introduces and demonstrates fuel cell prototype vehicle FCX-V3 at the California Fuel Cell Partnership in Sacramento, Calif.

1999

• Honda Introduces fuel cell prototype vehicles FCX-V1 and FCX-V2.

Specifications of the Honda FCX