Production Begins for the New Honda FCX Clarity Fuel Cell Vehicle

16th June 2008 - For Immediate Release

Production Begins for the New Honda FCX Clarity Fuel Cell Vehicle

- Zero emission, hydrogen fuel cell cars roll off line for first time -

Today (Monday, 16 June), the FCX Clarity - Honda's advanced hydrogen fuel cell powered vehicle - came off the line at the world's first dedicated fuel cell vehicle manufacturing facility in Japan. After 19 years of development, the arrival of this ‘real world' fuel cell car marks the beginning of a new era of cleaner motoring.

The FCX Clarity - which emits only water from its exhaust pipe - was presented at a line-off ceremony at the Honda Automobile New Model Centre in Tochigi Prefecture, where Honda also showcased a number of the new production processes. Among the early adopters are the actress Jamie Lee Curtis and her filmmaker husband Christopher Guest, and film producer Ron Yerxa.

A new dedicated fuel cell vehicle assembly line has been established at the Honda Automobile New Model Center, which includes processes unique to a fuel cell vehicle such as the installation of the fuel cell stack and hydrogen tank. Honda Engineering Co., Ltd produces all fuel cell stacks itself, also in Tochigi. In manufacturing fuel cells, exclusively-designed automated equipment was introduced to ensure quality of the highest precision while enabling mass production of cells, with several hundred cells required for each fuel cell stack. Through these initiatives, Honda is making steady progress in the area of fuel cell vehicle production, in addition to fuel cell and fuel cell vehicle technologies, thereby moving closer to realising its goal to enable more widespread use of fuel cell vehicles.

The FCX Clarity was designed from scratch as a dedicated fuel cell vehicle. It is powered by the highly compact, efficient and powerful Honda V Flow fuel cell stack. Boasting a low-slung, dynamic and sophisticated appearance made possible by the innovative layout of the fuel cell power plant, the FCX Clarity offers superior design and driving performance as well as environmental responsibility. Lease sales are scheduled to begin in July in the U.S. and this fall in Japan. The combined sales plan for Japan and the U.S. calls for a few dozen units within a year and about 200 units within three years. Additionally, the FCX Clarity will be exhibited at the G8 Hokkaido Toyako Summit to begin July 7, as one of a group of advanced environmental technologies.

For further information please contact:

Nicola Blunt +44 207 861 3107

Chris Rogers +44 7768 374870

Publicity materials relating to the above, exclusively for use by journalists, are available at the following URLs:

Europe, generalàhttp://www.hondanews.eu

USA, details of customers and dealersàhttp://www.hondanews.com,

Japan, details and pictures of production processà http://www.hondanews.jp/

Europe->http://www.hondanews.eu

Notes to editors:

Journey of the Honda FCX - the world's leading fuel cell vehicle evolving into

a car of the future.

1999

September - Prototype fuel cell vehicles FCX-V1 (hydrogen-fueled) and FCX-V2 (equipped with methanol reformer) introduced.

2000

September - Prototype fuel cell vehicle FCX-V3 introduced with high pressure hydrogen tank and ultra capacitor.

2001

February - Prototype fuel cell vehicle FCX-V3 equipped with a Honda FC Stack demonstrated at the California Fuel Cell Partnership.

July - Public road testing of the FCX-V3 begins in Japan.

July - Experiments with hydrogen production and fueling of fuel cell vehicles begin at Honda R&D Americas in California.

September - Prototype fuel cell vehicle FCX-V4 with extended range introduced.

2002

March - Honda FCX-V4 receives certification from Japan's Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport.

March - Honda FCX-V4 serves as pace car at the Los Angeles Marathon

July - Honda FCX becomes first fuel cell vehicle certified by the US EPA and California Air Resources Board (CARB) for commercial use.

October - Agreement concluded with the City of Los Angeles to make it the first US customer for a fuel cell car.

October - Introduction of the FCX prototype scheduled for same year.

November - FCX receives certification from Japan's Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport.

December - Two FCX fuel cell vehicles delivered on the same day in the US and Japan.

2003

July - Honda becomes the world's first automaker to supply a fuel cell vehicle to a private corporation.

September - FCX vehicle delivered to the City of San Francisco.

October - Experiments begin in the US with a hydrogen Home Energy Station, which provides fuel supply and cogeneration functions.

October - Release of the Honda FC Stack, capable of power generation at temperatures as low as -20°C.

2004

February - Public road testing in Hokkaido, Japan, of Honda FC Stack equipped FCX, proving the vehicle's cold start and driving capabilities.

April - Test drives of the Honda FC Stack equipped FCX begin on Yakushima Island (Japan) as part of the Yakushima Zero Emission Project.

April - Honda FC Stack-equipped FCX test drives begin in the US on public roads.

July - Honda FC Stack-equipped FCX receives US government certification for commercial use.

November - Honda FC Stack-equipped FCX leased to the State of New York, world's first delivery of fuel cell vehicles to a cold-weather region.

December - Honda FC Stack-equipped FCX receives certification for use on public roads from Japan's Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport.

2005

January - Honda FC Stack-equipped FCX delivered to Hokkaido Prefecture.

June - Honda FCX becomes Japan's first fuel cell vehicle to receive Motor Vehicle Type certification from Japan's Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport.

June - Honda delivers FCX fuel cell vehicle to world's first individual customer: Jon and Sandy Spallino of Redondo Beach, California. The Spallinos sign a two-year Honda FCX lease.

October/November - FCX Concept fuel cell vehicle displayed at the 39th Tokyo Motor Show.

2006

September - Honda demonstrates next-generation FCX Concept vehicle featuring a new compact, high-output V Flow FC Stack.

2007

March - 17-year-old American actress Q'orianka Kilcher leases Honda FCX fuel cell vehicle

November - The Honda FCX Clarity-featuring advanced driving performance, comfort and environmental performance in an elegant, futuristic design-makes its world debut at the Los Angeles International Auto Show