Honda FCX Clarity is Official 2008 Indy Japan Car

Honda FCX Clarity as 2008 IRL Indy Pace Car

Hydrogen powered pace car

By Frank de Leeuw van Weenen
April 16, 2008 2:05 PM
Filed Under: Green, Honda, Japanese, Motorsport

You may not immediately link the Honda FCX Clarity Fuel Cell to indy car racing, but Honda have found a way. Since 2007 IRL IndyCar series racers have been using 100% ethanol fuel, a fuel with a low environmental impact, while the Honda FCX Clarity runs on hydrogen and emits just water.

During the third race of the 2008 IRL IndyCar Series at the Twin Ring Motegi track in Tochigi, Japan the FCX Clarity will pace the 18 race cars at the start. The Honda FCX will do this using its 100kW Honda V Flow fuel cell stack which should be capable of about 160 km/h tops.

The FCX Clarity is, for now, a Sourthern California only car and debuted at the 2007 LA Auto Show. Maybe that this event kick off the FCX' global conquest.

Source: Honda

Press Release (Click to expand)

FCX Clarity Fuel Cell Vehicle Official Car for 2008 Indy Japan

Honda Motor Co., Ltd. today announced that the FCX Clarity fuel cell vehicle will serve as the official car of the 2008 Indy Japan event (2008 IRL IndyCar Series 3rd race: Bridgestone Indy Japan 300 Mile) to be held at Twin Ring Motegi in Tochigi, Japan, April 17-19.

Since 2007, all IRL IndyCar series racers run on low environmental impact 100% ethanol fuel. Scheduled for release in the U.S. in the summer and in Japan in the autumn of this year, the FCX Clarity runs on hydrogen and emits no CO2 or other environmentally harmful emissions in operation, making it an ideal vehicle for the event. The fuel cell vehicle emits only water and is regarded as the ultimate environmentally responsible vehicle.

The FCX Clarity is powered by the highly compact, efficient and powerful Honda V Flow fuel cell stack. Boasting a low-slung, dynamic and sophisticated appearance made possible by the innovative layout of the fuel cell power plant, the FCX Clarity offers superior design and driving performance as well as environmental responsibility.

Among other duties, the FCX Clarity official car will act as a pace car at the start, leading the 18 race cars participating in the Indy Japan event, and will be on display inside the Twin Ring Motegi paddock.

FCX Clarity: Principal Specifications (U.S. Model)

Number of occupants		4
Motor	Max. output	100kW
	Max. torque	256N?m
	Type	AC synchronous electric motor (permanent magnet)
Fuel cell stack	Type	PEMFC (Proton Exchange Membrane Fuel Cell)
Fuel cell stack	Max. output	100kW
Fuel	Type	Compressed hydrogen gas
	Storage	High-pressure hydrogen tank(35MPa)
	Tank capacity	171 liters
Dimensions(L×W×H)		4,835×1,845×1,470mm
Vehicle weight		1,625kg
Maximum speed		160km/h
Energy storage		Lithium ion battery