Honda has announced that it will sell a new fuel cell vehicle that uses hydrogen to generate electricity in the United States and Japan for the first time in three years.
The aim is to install a system that reduces manufacturing costs through joint development with GM of the United States, and to lead to its widespread use in the future.
The new fuel cell vehicle announced by Honda is a type of SUV (multi-purpose sports vehicle) and will go on sale in the United States from spring this year and in Japan from summer, marking the first time in three years that a fuel cell vehicle has been sold.
In addition to generating electricity with hydrogen, it also has the ability to charge the battery from an external power source, and it is said that it can travel over 600 km with a single charge of hydrogen, including the battery.
The fuel cell system installed in the vehicle was jointly developed with GM (General Motors) of the United States, and the manufacturing cost was reduced to about one-third of conventional costs.
Although the selling price has not yet been determined, the aim is to increase the competitiveness in terms of price and lead to its widespread use in the future.
Tetsuya Hasebe, General Manager of the Hydrogen Business Development Department, said, ``Fuel cell technology will play an important role in moving toward a carbon-neutral society.It is important to bring it out into the world and refine it.''
Honda has set a goal of making all new cars it sells EVs (electric vehicles) and fuel cell vehicles by 2040, and Toyota Motor Corporation is also introducing fuel cell vehicles in Japan, the United States, and parts of Europe.
The focus is on how far dissemination will progress, including the issue of infrastructure development such as hydrogen stations.