Honda is Releasing a Hydrogen Fuel Cell Plug-In Hybrid CR-V for 2025
Hydrogen fuel cell vehicles offer a unique EV experience, and their ability to completely refuel in just a few minutes makes them more convenient than their battery-powered counterparts. That said, they’re only sold in California, and there are only two models available. Honda was a player in the hydrogen game but stopped selling the Clarity in 2022. That’s about to change, however, as the automaker recently announced the CR-V e:FCEV, the first plug-in hydrogen vehicle in the United States.
The concept behind the CR-V is similar to that of a traditional PHEV, replacing gas with hydrogen. Honda worked with General Motors to design the fuel cell module. The owner can plug in at home or a public charger and get 29 miles of range or fill with hydrogen to get up to 270 miles of range. A single motor delivers 174 horsepower and 229 pound-feet of torque to the front wheels. Honda said it designed the suspension to “deliver the same sporty driving experience and class-leading refinement as other CR-V models,” though the sporty part is debatable.
HondaLink navigation comes standard, offering guidance to one of the 55 hydrogen fueling stations in California. The CR-V also gets a full suite of driver aids, wireless smartphone mirroring, a nine-inch touchscreen, and a 10.2-inch digital gauge cluster. It has a 110-volt outlet on board that can power appliances, power tools, air conditioners, and other equipment.
[Images: Honda]
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Chris grew up in, under, and around cars, but took the long way around to becoming an automotive writer. After a career in technology consulting and a trip through business school, Chris began writing about the automotive industry as a way to reconnect with his passion and get behind the wheel of a new car every week. He focuses on taking complex industry stories and making them digestible by any reader. Just don’t expect him to stay away from high-mileage Porsches.
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this is how difficult it can get....
Honda is dreaming. And resting on its 'laurels' (French for 'posterior').