Honda FCX Clarity

Manufacturer	Honda
Also called	Honda Clarity
Production	2008–present
Assembly	Takanezawa, Japan [1]
Predecessor	Honda FCX
Class	mid-size
Body style	4-door sedan
Layout	FF layout
Engine	fuel cell Electric motor
Transmission	Single Speed, Direct Drive
Wheelbase	110.2 in (2,799 mm)
Length	190.3 in (4,834 mm)
Width	72.7 in (1,847 mm)
Height	57.8 in (1,468 mm)
Curb weight	3,528 lb (1,600 kg)
Related	FCX Concept
Designer	Sachito Fujimoto

The Honda FCX Clarity is a hydrogen fuel cell automobile manufactured by Honda. The design is based on the 2006 Honda FCX Concept. The FCX Clarity demonstrates electric car qualities such as zero emissions while offering 5 minute refueling times and long range in a full function large sedan. It first went on sale as a 2008 model year vehicle.

Since the vehicle's unveiling in November 2007, there were nearly 80,000 people around the world who expressed interest, according to Honda.^[2] Production was reported to begin in June 2008.^[3] The first five customers of the fuel cell vehicle were announced on June 19, 2008, and delivery of the first vehicle in the United States around July. It was introduced in Japan in November 2008. One of the first FCX Clarity customers was a return customer of a first-generation Honda FCX who has leased that vehicle since 2005. According to Honda, he previously was the first retail customer of a hydrogen fuel cell-powered vehicle in the world.^[4] Current leases may be offered a renewal when the current leases expire, though the renewal period is not yet decided.^[2]

There were reports that previous generation fuel-cell cars from Honda cost more than $1 million to build in 2005. Some estimated that Honda had cut its production costs to between $120,000 and $140,000 per vehicle.^[3]

The FCX Clarity is currently available for lease in the U.S., Japan and Europe. In the U.S., it is only available to customers who live in Southern California where "fast-fill" hydrogen stations are available. As of 2010, 20 FCX Clarity are leased for US$600 a month which includes collision coverage, maintenance, roadside assistance and hydrogen fuel. There are around 10 others on lease in Japan and another 10 in Europe. The number of fuel cell vehicles Honda can put on the road is significantly limited by the number of hydrogen stations the company can use. Two more stations will open in fall 2010 in Torrance, Calif., and in Newport Beach, Calif.^[2][5][6][7] In 2010, it is reported that there are a total of 50 FCX Clarity available for lease in the U.S.^[8] with a target to have 200 available world-wide. Honda believes it could start mass producing vehicles based on the FCX Clarity by 2018.^[7]

Specifications[link]

The vehicle's electrical power comes from a 100 kW Honda Vertical Flow (V Flow) hydrogen fuel cell stack whereby electricity is supplied on demand. As in any electric car, waste energy from braking and deceleration is captured by the Motor/Generator and stored in a battery (in this case a 288V lithium ion unit).

The electric motor is based on the motor in the EV Plus, rated at 134 horsepower (100 kW) and 189 lb·ft (256 N·m) torque @0-3056 rpm. It provides quiet, steady acceleration and high torque.^[9] The range on a full hydrogen tank (4.1 kg @ 5000psi) is EPA certified at 240 miles (~386 km).^[10] The vehicle is estimated to get about 77 miles (123.9 km) per kilogram hydrogen in the city, 67 miles (107.8 km) per kilogram highway and 72 miles (115.9 km) per kilogram in combined driving.^[9]

Design[link]

The FCX Clarity is about 4 inches shorter than a 2008 Honda Accord. It comes with an innovative cockpit: the display in the dashboard includes a dot that changes color and size as hydrogen consumption grows, make it easier for the driver to monitor their driving efficiency; a separate display shows the battery power level and another shows motor output. A speedometer is placed above the cockpit display, to make it easy for the driver to keep eyes on the road. In the interior, upholstery on the seats and door linings are made with Honda's Bio-Fabric that is derived from plants which cuts CO₂.^[9][11]

Production[link]

The FCX Clarity is currently produced in Japan, at a new dedicated fuel cell vehicle assembly line in the Honda Automobile New Model Center (Takanezawa-machi, Shioya-gun, Tochigi Prefecture). The fuel cell stack itself is produced at Honda Engineering Co., Ltd. (Haga-machi, Haga-gun, Tochigi Prefecture). Honda planned to produce 200 vehicles within 3 years.

Running costs[link]

It is reported in 2009 that hydrogen made from natural gas cost about $5 to $10 per kilogram in California. Although it was more than double the equivalent amount of gasoline during the summer of 2009, fuel-cell cars have at least double the efficiency of similar models with a gasoline engine. The FCX Clarity averaged 60 miles per kilogram of hydrogen .^[12]

Tax credits[link]

On 25 July 2007 the United States Internal Revenue Service announced that the Honda’s FCX had met the requirements of the Alternative Motor Vehicle Credit as a qualified fuel cell motor vehicle. Purchasers of the 2005 and 2006 Honda FCX are eligible for a $12,000 Section 30B(b) credit, but consumers are not currently allowed to purchase the vehicle, as it is still available only for leasing, and only in Southern California, where public hydrogen refueling stations are available.

The leasing program began in July 2008 at a price of $600.00 USD per month for 3 years which includes collision coverage, all maintenance and roadside assistance.^[13] Honda announced Power Honda Costa Mesa, Honda of Santa Monica and Scott Robinson Honda as the initial dealers, which were chosen for their proximity to hydrogen refueling stations.

Pace car in IndyCar series[link]

The Honda FCX Clarity was the pace car in 2008 Indy Japan 300 which took place at the Twin Ring Motegi in Tochigi, Japan, April 2008.^[14] It also served as the official pace car for the 2011 Honda Grand Prix of St. Petersburg in March 2011.^[15]

Awards and recognition[link]

• World Green Car of the Year - 2009 ^[16]
• 2008 Good Design Award from the Japan Industrial Design Promotion Organization^[17]
• "Most important car for 100 years" - BBC Top Gear^[18]

See also[link]

• List of fuel cell vehicles

References[link]

External links[link]

This article's use of external links may not follow Wikipedia's policies or guidelines. Please improve this article by removing excessive or inappropriate external links, and converting useful links where appropriate into footnote references. (November 2010)

• Honda FCX Technology FCX homepage (Japanese).
• Honda Fuel Cell page contains specifications of FCX, FCX Concept, Home Energy Station.
• Official FCX Clarity Site (USA)
• FCX Concept Test Drive Video
• 2006 Honda FCX specifications
• The New Honda FCX Concept Driving Experience Japan 2007
• Production Begins for the New FCX Clarity Fuel Cell Vehicle: -- A number of the new production processes showcased for the first time --
• Honda Announces First FCX Clarity Customers and World’s First Fuel Cell Vehicle Dealership Network as Clarity Production Begins in Japan: Breakthrough zero emissions vehicle to be delivered in July
• Daily Telegraph 'FCX Clarity: Car of the century?' Nov 17, 2007
• Three New Hybrids To Join Honda Fleet
• Top Gear reviews the Honda Clarity
• Video of Fully Charged reviewing the Honda FCX Clarity

Robert Llewellyn
Robert Llewellyn at Dimension Jump XI (2004)
Born	Robert Llewellyn (1956-03-10) 10 March 1956 (age 56) Northampton, Northamptonshire, England
Occupation	Actor
Spouse	Judy Pascoe

Robert Llewellyn (born 10 March 1956, in Northampton, Northamptonshire, England) is an English actor, presenter and writer. He is best known as the mechanoid Kryten in the hit sitcom Red Dwarf, and for his role as presenter of Scrapheap Challenge.

Early career[link]

Llewellyn's first foray into the world of show business started out as a hobby, organising a few amateur cabaret evenings in a riverside warehouse overlooking Tower Bridge in London. The shows were a great success and he eventually helped form an alternative comedy theatre group called the Joeys.^[1] Within six months he had stopped working as a shoemaker and started performing professionally with the group alongside Bernie Evans, Nigel Ordish and Graham Allum. The group toured the UK and Europe in the early 1980s with an initial idea of exploring sexual politics between men^[2]. Llewellyn wrote much of the material, and also began writing novels. The group split in 1985, having toured for years and done thousands of shows.

Red Dwarf[link]

Llewellyn's involvement with Red Dwarf came about as a result of his appearance at the Edinburgh Festival Fringe, performing in his comedy, Mammon, Robot Born Of Woman. The story is about a robot who, as he becomes more human, begins to behave increasingly badly. This was seen by Paul Jackson, producer of Red Dwarf, and he was invited to audition for the role of Kryten.

Llewellyn joined the cast of Red Dwarf in 1989 at the start of Series 3 and continued in the role until the end of Series 8 in 1999. His skills as a physical performer encouraged Rob Grant and Doug Naylor to write him additional characters for the series, namely Jim Reaper ("The Last Day"), The Data Doctor ("Back in the Red"), Human Kryten ("DNA"), Bongo ("Dimension Jump") and Able ("Beyond A Joke"). Llewellyn co-wrote the Red Dwarf Series VII episode "Beyond A Joke" with Doug Naylor.

He was also the only British cast member originally to participate in the American version of Red Dwarf, though other actors such as Craig Charles and Chris Barrie were also approached to reprise their roles.

He reprised his role, along with the rest of the cast, in the 2009 three-part story Red Dwarf: Back to Earth and in the upcoming 2012 Series X.

Other TV work[link]

Llewellyn has presented a number of programmes for UK television. His first outing as a presenter was on Scrapheap Challenge produced by Channel 4; the series sees teams of engineers competing to build machines to complete a given task from materials scavenged from a scrapheap. His other presenting roles include a version of Discovery Channel's How Do They Do It? and Hollywood Science, the latter being a joint production between the BBC and the Open University.

In 1992, Llewellyn appeared in the third episode of series 2 of Bottom, as a wounded Falklands conflict veteran named Mr. N. Stiles.

Llewellyn's project it2i2, was released on DVD in March 2006. Since 2006 he has had a YouTube video blog called "Llewtube". His latest book "Sold Out: How I Survived a Year of Not Shopping" – based on his YouTube series "Making Do" – was published in October 2008.

On 10 February 2009 Llewellyn was featured as a guest on the popular technology related podcast MacBreak Weekly with Leo Laporte (episode 127).

Recently, Llewellyn has starred in the CBBC show MI High as the Prime Minister, and become the presenter of Top Trumps.

Llewellyn reviewed the world of science and technology in his popular Machine of the Week report (The MoWer).^[3]

Llewellyn also provides the voice of News Anchor Perry Flynn for PlayStation Home TV, a programme that started in December 2009 and aires in the Home Theatre of the EU Version of PlayStation Home, which is a 3D community for PlayStation 3.

Llewellyn has worked as a voice actor, providing the voices of the alien creatures in Skywhales (1983), the voice of Feeble for The Feeble Files (1997), and the perplexed 'Gryphon' in the film MirrorMask (2005). He has described himself as "very much a 'don't want to do it now' kind of person" (Dwarfing USA documentary, Red Dwarf V DVD).

In November 2010, the Carpool series began broadcasting on UKTV channel, Dave, before having a months hiatus for Christmas and New Year, it then returned in January 2011. It is a spin-off from his web series, Carpool. On 4 January 2011, he appeared on "Celebrity Mastermind" answering questions on the specialist subject of electric cars.

Work as a writer[link]

Llewellyn is also the author of ten books, including Sold Out! and Therapy And How To Avoid It with Nigel Planer and four novels:

• The Man On Platform 5 (1998);
• Punchbag (1999);
• Sudden Wealth (2000);
• Brother Nature (2001).

Personal life[link]

Llewellyn is married to the novelist Judy Pascoe, author of Our Father Who Art in The Tree, who starred alongside him in the Red Dwarf episode "Camille", playing female android Camille.

Llewellyn, who is of Anglo-Welsh ancestry, learnt to drive at age 11 (having been taught by his older brother in a go-kart); formerly a "petrol-head", he is now an electric car advocate. As well as being frequently interviewed on the subject, he has a related video blog called Fully Charged.^[4]

On the evening of 1 July 2009 while Llewellyn was delivering Carpool footage to his editor, another vehicle hit him side on at a junction in Gloucestershire, writing off his Prius and rendering him unconscious for around ten minutes. The force of the impact was such that it bent his laptop "into a banana shape".

Llewellyn praised the honesty of the other driver for accepting full liability for the incident and for the hospital, police and other services for helping him. He also gave special praise to his "beloved Prius" for protecting him from the impact. He suffered minor whiplash and dizzy spells but escaped more serious injury.^[5]

Publications[link]

Books[link]

• The Man in the Rubber Mask - Llewellyn's personal account of his career with Red Dwarf. Penguin Books Ltd (16 May 1994), ISBN 0-14-023575-2. Currently being recorded as an audiobook.
• Brother Nature - Novel
• Sudden Wealth - Novel
• The Man on Platform 5 - A modern gender-reversed re-telling of Pygmalion of which the film rights were sold^[6]
• Punchbag
• Thin he was and filthy haired - Memoir
• Behind the Scenes at Scrapheap challenge^[7]
• Sold Out - How I survived a year of not shopping - Non-fiction
• Therapy and How to Avoid it. (with Nigel Planer)
• The Reconstructed Heart: How to Spot the Difference Between a Normal Man and One Who Does the Housework, is Great in Bed and Doesn't Get All Iffy When You Mention Words Like Love and Commitment

Video podcasts[link]

• Carpool - a regular video podcast, released every Friday, in which Llewellyn interviews other celebrities while driving them somewhere in a car. Some of the shows have appeared on the UK TV channel Dave as well as still appearing online after broadcast.^[8]
• Wet Liberal Whenever - an occasional video podcast where he does a monologue about subjects he is impassioned about, previously known as Wet Liberal Weekly
• Fully Charged - a video podcast on alternative technology vehicles, previously known as Gearless^[9][10]

Other[link]

• Woman Wizard - DVD of his one-man show
• Blue Helmet - on-line science-fiction comedy novel

References[link]

External links[link]

Wikimedia Commons has media related to: Robert Llewellyn

• Official Robert Llewellyn website
• Robert Llewellyn Personal Website
• Official Red Dwarf website
• Official Robert Llewellyn YouTube
• Fully Charged Show on YouTube
• Robert Llewellyn at the Internet Movie Database
• Robert Llewellyn on Myspace
• MacBreak Weekly 105: Don't Lick The Glass