Honda Motor Co will introduce a hydrogen fuel cell vehicle that can also be recharged, becoming the first Japanese automaker to bring the technology to market.
The five-seat crossover, based on the popular CR-V, will be manufactured in Ohio and sold in North America this spring, and imported to Japan this summer, Honda said Wednesday.
Japan’s automakers, most notably Toyota Motor Corp, have embraced hydrogen as one option to reduce emissions, although the technology has been slow to gain adoption due to high prices and the lack of refueling infrastructure. By adding electric recharging capabilities, Honda is betting that it can ease drivers’ anxiety over finding hydrogen stations.
“There is no right answer for FCEVs (fuel-cell electric vehicles) as yet,” said Koichi Ikoma, project leader for the new crossover. “We want to provide it as one of the options to customers who are willing to ride the zero-emission wave.”
