| Honda hopes
to offer a British family the chance to be the first in the country to
run a fuel-cell car. After a successful trial in which a Californian family
were provided with one to prove the technology was practical, Honda wants
to extend the experiment to Britain.
Honda’s FCX hatchback uses hydrogen
to generate electricity that powers the vehicle. “We are the only manufacturer
that has this car,” says Honda. “There are 20 driving around, mainly in
America and Japan. It is not a concept, it is a real certified car and
it makes sense to bring it to Britain.”
The ideal family would be one that
typifies British car users, driving the vehicle to work, on shopping trips
and on holiday. Honda is reluctant to go into detail because it has not
made a final decision and may yet conclude the project is too costly. But
if the plan goes ahead it is expected that the chosen household would be
provided with its own refuelling station; possibly Honda’s home energy
station, which uses natural gas to generate hydrogen.
If you are interested in being Honda’s
green family, e-mail greenhonda@sunday-times.co.uk

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