Honda prices 2017 Clarity fuel cell, promises plug-in hybrid by 2018
Honda recently put a price tag on its much-hyped Clarity fuel cell car.
The Honda Clarity Fuel Cell sedan, seen here on display in Tokyo on December 25, 2015, emits only water vapor as it runs.
Koji Sasahara/AP/File
Honda’s hydrogen-powered Clarity Fuel Cell unveiled at the 2015 Tokyo Motor Show has been confirmed for sale in the United States towards the end of this year. It will arrive as a 2017 model and wear a price tag of around $60,000.
However, the vehicle will only be available to lease customers located in California initially. Honda is targeting a monthly lease below $500. The automaker says it will start selling the vehicle outright as demand picks up and the hydrogen refueling network expanded.
The car’s main rival is the Toyota Mirai, which is currently available with a starting price of $57,500 or $499 monthly lease. Hyundai also has a Tucson Fuel Cell available for $499 a month, though availability of this model is limited.
The Clarity Fuel Cell is a mid-size sedan whose front axle is driven by an electric motor making 174 horsepower and 221 pound-feet of torque. The electricity powering the motor comes from a battery that's charged on the go by a fuel cell stack small enough to be mounted under the hood. With a full tank of hydrogen, Honda says owners will be able to cover more than 300 miles.
By 2018, Honda will offer a plug-in hybrid model based on the platform underpinning the Clarity Fuel Cell. Likely to be called the Clarity Plug-In Hybrid, this model will be available in all 50 states and have an electric-only range of more than 39 miles.
This article first appeared at MotorAuthority.