Japanese carmaker Honda has unveiled a new fuel-cell vehicle concept- the 'FCV,' which is an evolution of last year revealed FCEV concept. The vehicle is a successor to the company's first Hydrogen fuel-cell powered offering- the FCX Clarity, and will go on sale in Japan in March 2016, followed by the U.S. and Europe.
Unlike its predecessor, the FCV features a new powertrain that fits entirely within the engine compartment, resulting into increased passenger and luggage space. It is powered by an electric motor with over 134 bhp, sucking energy from a newly developed fuel-cell stack with a power density that has gone up by 60 percent to 3.1 kW/L, while also being 33 percent compact in size. Equipped with a 70 MPa high-pressure hydrogen storage tank, which can be re-filled in just 3 minutes, the vehicle comes with a cruising range of more than 700 kilometers.
Toyota also used the 'FCV' moniker for its fuel cell vehicle, though now the carmaker has officially named its hydrogen-powered car as 'Mirai', which will make its debut next year. Both Japanese manufacturers see hydrogen as a high-potential, next-generation energy carrier, due to the fact that it can be generated from various energy sources and is easily transportable and storable.
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In addition to revealing the FCV concept, Honda also presented a concept external power feeding device that enables AC power output from the FCV with maximum output of 12 bhp. This allows the FCV to function as a small-sized mobile power plant that generates electricity for various uses whenever required.
Source : CarDekho