Honda Hydrogen Halts Hybrid Hegemony
Monday 29 October 2007
Well your correspondent doesn't know as much about hydrogen as he should. This hydrogen car is clearly aimed at getting Honda to the forefront of technology again and staying there. Although I don't drive a Honda any more I have long been a fan of these ultra reliable cars. Paradoxically I gave up my most recent Honda this summer due to concerns for the environment (I now have a Smart Fortwo diesel).
When Honda came out with the Insight it was one of the greenest cars in the world, yet it is Toyota who are the darlings of the industry for the Prius. Now Honda are embarking on a journey into a 'hydrogen economy' you may think that they are susceptible to making the same mistake again in assuming that being first to market means you can make a load of money out of it. Here are two reasons why I think Honda will make a success of the FCX:
1. Toyota have too much of a vested interest in hybrid technology - why give up such a big cash cow
2. Honda want to sell the home fuelling station for making hydrogen out of domestic gas.
Honda offers FCX for '08, bitchslaps Google | The Register: "Honda has confounded green-motoring analysts by announcing that it will offer a hydrogen-powered car for general sale in 2008, years earlier than expected."
