The paradigm shift in automotive design is about to happen. The Chey Volt is slated for 2010 as well as other plug in hybrids. These new vehicle architectures give way to more styling freedom. Whether it is because the cars package is new or just because the brand wants to differentiate it from the the other models. The news below takes this thought even further with the introduction of fuel cell vehicles for the masses as early as next year.

The styling here is not the most exciting, but it is a shift toward something different. The Interior has some fresh form language in the IP but the doors look rather bland. The only downside is that with this new technology, consumers will buy anything regardless of what it looks like, aka, Toyota Prius. Let’s hope our hometown desners can take this technology and do something revolutionary with it.

Honda CEO confirms that its hydrogen fuel cell
car will be first of its kind to go into production

At the Tokyo Motor Show in Japan last week, Honda unveiled the first hydrogen fuel cell car that is slated to go into production next year. The FCX car will travel an estimated 270 miles at speeds of up to 100 miles per hour (MPH) and will produce only water vapor from its exhaust. It is expected to cost US$102,600 (50,000 British Pounds) and will be available initially only in America and Japan.
Inside, it will provide space for four in a futuristic looking cabin. Instead of a fuel gauge there will be a range meter that tells you how far you can travel with the hydrogen left in the tank. It also is expected to feature lithium-ion batteries to recover energy during braking. The transmission will be gearless so you will simply select neutral or drive.
Honda will introduce the final, commercial version of its FCX fuel cell-powered car at the Los Angeles (California, U.S.A.) auto show next month.
The announcement by Takeo Fukui, president and chief executive of Honda Motor, is a landmark in new car technology. The fuel cell long has been the holy grail of eco-motoring because it produces a smooth, almost silent ride and zero emissions. Honda has been working on various forms of the FCX for more than five years. However, last week’s announcement took the auto industry by surprise, because previous estimates for a viable fuel cell car ranged from 10 years to 20 years in the future.
There are technical difficulties and practical hurdles with hydrogen fuel cell vehicles. Hydrogen takes up more space than the amount of gasoline required to travel a similar distance, meaning that fuel tanks for hydrogen have been large and bulky. In addition, the lack of infrastructure means there are few places where drivers will be able to fill up with hydrogen fuel.
“When the car was invented, countries weren’t full of petrol stations,” said Fukui. “When the demand is there it (the hydrogen economy) will happen.”
Other automakers also are vying to harness to the power of hydrogen – including BMW and Mazda. (Sunday Times-London, United Kingdom)