Hydrogen-electric Honda CR-V announced for North America
Honda will resume North American production of hydrogen cars in 2024, starting with a unique variant of the CR-V family SUV.
The Honda CR-V is set to gain a revolutionary hybrid system in North America, with the Japanese car-maker announcing its plans for a hydrogen-electric variant of the family SUV.
The North American division of Honda has revealed it is developing a hydrogen fuel cell variant of the new-generation CR-V for the US market, due to launch in 2024.
Hydrogen fuel cell cars work by converting hydrogen – stored in high-pressure tanks – into electricity through chemistry in an on-board 'power station' called a 'fuel cell'. This electrical energy charges the battery which supplies power to the electric motor which drives the wheels.
Honda claims the hydrogen-powered CR-V will be the first fuel cell vehicle to be sold in North America which is compatible with an electric-car charger – allowing drivers to choose between topping up the battery at a charging station or with hydrogen.
The hydrogen-powered Honda CR-V is due to be sold in North America alongside petrol variants, which include a 1.5-litre turbocharged four-cylinder engine, and a 2.0-litre non-turbo four-cylinder engine with two electric motors.
Honda’s sixth-generation CR-V was revealed in July 2022, although the petrol-powered SUV isn’t expected to arrive in Australia until mid-2023.
According to Honda, North American production of the hydrogen CR-V will take place at its Marysville, Ohio factory which built the second-generation Honda NSX from 2016 until last month.
More details about the hydrogen fuel cell Honda CR-V are due to be announced closer to its launch in 2024.
The debut of the new CR-V variant will come more than 15 years after Honda launched the FCX Clarity, the world’s first mass-production car to run on hydrogen.
After going on sale in 2008, a second-generation successor – simply named Honda Clarity – launched in 2016, although the model’s production run ended last year due to low sales in the US, with the car-maker selling just 2089 examples of the hydrogen-powered sedan in 2019.
Honda has previously announced its plans to exclusively sell battery and hydrogen fuel-cell electric cars worldwide by 2040, signalling the end of petrol and diesel engine production from the Japanese car-maker.