TORRANCE, California — Geography will play a huge role in just who will get their hands on the first leased Honda FCX Clarity vehicles this summer. Honda spelled out its program for the FCX Clarity launch on Tuesday, noting that the list of potential customers has been narrowed to about 500 people from about 50,000 who have expressed an interest in the vehicle.
The program will be based on a three-year lease term with a price of $600 a month and will be "targeted at consumers in Southern California," said Honda.
Those candidates live "in very close proximity to publicly accessible hydrogen fueling stations, including planned or existing stations in Santa Monica, Torrance and Irvine [California]," American Honda said in a statement.
Honda said it plans to deliver about 200 FCX Clarity hydrogen-powered fuel cell vehicles to customers in the first three years of production. The automaker said it expects to lease "several dozen" of the vehicles per year in the U.S. and Japan to reach the total of 200 units.
Geographically desirable customers will get a customer survey by e-mail. The survey will weed out customers based on driving patterns, vehicle needs, vehicle storage and financial criteria, Honda said. Further steps include "an interview with American Honda."
Honda said it will announce the names of the first customers on June 16 in Japan, when the first FCX Clarity rolls off the production line. At that time, the automaker will spell out plans for the launch by Honda dealerships in the U.S., "as well as future customer care and customer qualification initiatives."
The next-generation FCX Clarity is propelled by an electric motor that runs on electricity generated in the fuel cell. Honda says its "fuel efficiency is three times that of a modern gasoline-powered automobile."
What this means to you: If you live in Southern California and you've raised your hand for an FCX Clarity, you should know in short order if you're getting one. — Anita Lienert, Correspondent
The program will be based on a three-year lease term with a price of $600 a month and will be "targeted at consumers in Southern California," said Honda.
Those candidates live "in very close proximity to publicly accessible hydrogen fueling stations, including planned or existing stations in Santa Monica, Torrance and Irvine [California]," American Honda said in a statement.
Honda said it plans to deliver about 200 FCX Clarity hydrogen-powered fuel cell vehicles to customers in the first three years of production. The automaker said it expects to lease "several dozen" of the vehicles per year in the U.S. and Japan to reach the total of 200 units.
Geographically desirable customers will get a customer survey by e-mail. The survey will weed out customers based on driving patterns, vehicle needs, vehicle storage and financial criteria, Honda said. Further steps include "an interview with American Honda."
Honda said it will announce the names of the first customers on June 16 in Japan, when the first FCX Clarity rolls off the production line. At that time, the automaker will spell out plans for the launch by Honda dealerships in the U.S., "as well as future customer care and customer qualification initiatives."
The next-generation FCX Clarity is propelled by an electric motor that runs on electricity generated in the fuel cell. Honda says its "fuel efficiency is three times that of a modern gasoline-powered automobile."
What this means to you: If you live in Southern California and you've raised your hand for an FCX Clarity, you should know in short order if you're getting one. — Anita Lienert, Correspondent
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