Honda Reveals CR-V Plug-in Hydrogen Fuel Cell Tech In Electric Vehicle

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Honda recently revealed its first production of plug-in hydrogen fuel cell electric vehicle, the 2025 Honda CR-V e:FCEV. The CUV received a 270-mile Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) driving range rating, CR-V e:FCEV. It combined a US-made fuel cell system along with plug-in charging capability designed to provide up to 29 miles of EV driving around town with the flexibility of fast hydrogen refueling for longer trips.

“Leveraging Honda fuel cell technology expertise continues to play a critical role in our global goal to achieve carbon neutrality for all products and corporate activities by 2050,” said Mamadou Diallo, senior vice president of auto sales, American Honda Motor Co. “Honda has laid out an electrification strategy leading to 100% zero-emission automobile sales by 2040, including the introduction of both battery-electric and fuel cell electric vehicles like this new CR-V e:FCEV model.”

The 2025 Honda CR-V e:FCEV will be available for customer leasing in California beginning later this year. The standard features include HondaLink® with expanded capabilities including hydrogen station information in addition to charging and power supply data. For additional convenience, they included a Honda Power Supply Connector that utilizes a 110-volt power outlet that can deliver up to 1,500 watts of power. It turned CR-V e:FCEV into a clean power source capable of running small home appliances, portable air conditioners, power tools, camping equipment, and more.

Honda’s market experience with hydrogen fuel cell vehicles began with the introduction of the Honda FCX in December 2002, the world’s first zero-emission fuel cell electric vehicle (FCEV) to receive certification for everyday use from both the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and the California Air Resources Board (CARB), as well as the first FCEV leased to individual customers. The CR-V FCEV is built at Honda’s performance manufacturing center in Marysville, Ohio, and it claims to be the only fuel cell electric passenger vehicle made in America.

The 5-passenger CUV is the first application of the second-generation Honda Fuel Cell Module, which is produced at Fuel Cell System Manufacturing, LLC (FCSM) in Michigan, offering improved durability, higher efficiency, increased refinement, and lower cost compared to Honda’s previous-generation fuel cell system.

Co-developed with General Motors (GM), the next-generation Honda Fuel Cell Module leverages the knowledge, know-how, and economies of scale of both companies and will reduce the cost by two-thirds compared to the cost of the fuel cell system in the Honda Clarity Fuel Cell. This significant cost reduction was achieved by various measures including the adoption of innovative materials for electrodes, advancement of a cell sealing structure, simplification of the supporting equipment, and the improvement of productivity.

Moreover, the durability of the system has doubled by the application of corrosion-resistant materials and controlled suppression of deterioration, and low-temperature performance was also improved significantly.