If you remember when the first Honda Insight hybrid vehicle was released, you understand that new technology can look a bit strange. The Insight offered mileage in the 60-mpg range, yet allowed room for only two occupants, wore funky rear wheel skirts, and rode on skinny tires to maximize fuel efficiency. Today there is the 2005 Honda FCX, which aside from the large Honda FCX badges plastered on its flanks, looks like your average two-door compact. Inside, it’s typical Honda with instrument panel buttons and textures drivers will be accustomed to, seating for four, a small storage area behind the rear seats, and even the familiar chime when the key is in the ignition. However, the high floor hints at what is different about the FCX.

A fuel cell resides under the midsection of the 2005 Honda FCX, using hydrogen and air to generate electricity, which is then used to power a motor that moves the front wheels. The electric motor uses up to 80 kilowatts of power and 272 lb.-ft. of torque to propel the 3,700-lb. FCX to a maximum speed of 93 miles per hour. Four disc brakes bring the 205/60R15 Yokohama tires to a halt, and a single speed transmission is constantly engaged. Hydrogen is stored in two tanks located below the rear seats, with a total capacity of 3.75 kilograms (about four gallons). There are two fuel doors on the rear passenger side – one for the hydrogen fueling nozzle, the other for a ground plug to make re-fueling safer. Total traveling range is about 190 miles, though Honda engineers aim to expand that figure over time by increasing the capacity of the hydrogen tanks and decreasing the FCX’s curb weight.

Refueling takes some planning, but Honda, and the state of California, are working on that. The 2005 FCX features a voice-activated navigation system that includes directions to the nearest hydrogen fueling stations, and the California Hydrogen Highway Initiative is aimed at building the state’s refueling infrastructure by 2010. There are a handful of stations currently operating in California, with the bulk located in the southern part of the state and a few more in the San Francisco and Sacramento areas. Hydrogen is currently priced at about $4.50 per kilogram, though Honda officials claim that the price should go down to about $1.50/kg by 2010, thanks in part to the improved infrastructure. Also helping to lower the cost will be the numerous power options available for separating and obtaining hydrogen: solar, wind, coal, nuclear, natural gas, and others. Honda’s goal is flexibility, allowing for hydrogen to come from any number of sources, while lessening the dependence on one fuel source, such as petroleum.