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http://www.latimes.com/classified/au...toshows-hybrid

Quote:

. . .
By Colin Ryan, Special to the Los Angeles Times
OVERVIEW This is big. Huge. Honda has made a production hydrogen-powered fuel cell vehicle. Sure, experimental models have been buzzing around L.A. for a while (the city of Los Angeles leased several). But this will be more available to Joe (or Joan) Public. Provided he (or she) lives near a hydrogen-equipped filling station like the ones in Santa Monica, Torrance and Irvine.

Although not practical for us, I always thought the Insight was an excellent example of a commuter specific vehicle . . . then Honda discontinued it. So I remain somewhat skeptical that this vehicle is anything more than eye-wash and amazingly impractical. This vehicle is rented for three years at $20/day.

The one profile that makes sense would be as an airport cab. A co-located refueling station and knowing the range limits, it would be perfect in that role.

Bob Wilson

Quote:

Originally Posted by bwilson4web (Post 150275)

The one profile that makes sense would be as an airport cab. A co-located refueling station and knowing the range limits, it would be perfect in that role.

Bob Wilson

That's a good idea Bob, it could pay for itself in fares.

Bob, the Insight replacement is the hybrid CR-Z:

http://images.motortrend.com/feature...nt_profile.jpg

The Clarity is more of a successor to the last generation of Honda Fuel Cell vehicles, the older FCX:

http://www.reuk.co.uk/OtherImages/honda-fcx.jpg

No hydrogen fuel cell car will make sense until there is a source of hydrogen that is economical. Today hydrogen is produced either from fossil fuels, leaving the carbon to deal with, or by electricity in processes less efficient than charging up battery powered cars.

I looked at the Insight in 2000. Thought it was cool, even had enough leg room for me (6'2"), but it was WAY too small. And I'm single with no kids.

I remember wondering how I'd fit a week's worth of groceries in that small hatch area. Also, how I'd fit luggage into the car for a week-long vacation. And that was just for me. If I took a girl with ..... fuhgetaboutit! So, the Insight was just too small even for its target market (young, single, mid-five-figure income drivers).

I also looked at the Prius -- the first generation. The four doors added a bit of practicality, but it had NO legroom. Completely impractical for the U.S. market of 5'10" + men.

Most of all, the $20,000 price tags on both cars didn't make any kind of sense considering the limitations, and the $1.25 price of gasoline. So I bought a $12,000 car and drove the heck out of it for years.

Fast forward to 2007 -- gasoline is $3, that $12,000 car now sells for $16,000, but the new Honda Civic Hybrid with four doors, a trunk and lots of leg room costs only $21,000. This time, the numbers worked, so I bought one.

Timing is everything.

Honda now has a water fuel vehicle commercial, has anyone seen it? It's just a commercial, they don't give out any detail on when it is coming out or where it will be released.