TOKYO MOTOR SHOW TWO EXCITING NEW HONDA CONCEPTS TO BE UNVEILED AT TOKYO MOTOR SHOW, 2007 CR-Z hybrid sportscar concept breaks cover Funky ‘gel body’ fuel cell project revealed Two striking new concept models will make their world premieres at the 40th Tokyo Motor Show later this month. The Honda CR-Z is a lightweight, two-seater sportscar equipped with Honda’s petrol-electric hybrid IMA powertrain. PUYO is a fuel cell vehicle designed to provide fun for both the driver and his or her surroundings. CR-Z Concept Following in the tyre prints of the Honda Remix Concept (seen at LA Show last year), and the Small Hybrid Sports Concept (debuted at Geneva in March), the CR-Z Concept explores the potential of a compact, lightweight sportscar that’s exciting to drive, but has minimal impact on the environment. The CR-Z features the latest Honda hybrid IMA powertrain to deliver low emissions and impressive economy.
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TOKYO MOTOR SHOW
TWO EXCITING NEW HONDA CONCEPTS TO BE UNVEILED
AT TOKYO MOTOR SHOW, 2007
CR-Z hybrid sportscar concept breaks cover
Funky ‘gel body’ fuel cell project revealed
Two striking new concept models will make their world premieres at the
40th Tokyo Motor Show later this month.
The Honda CR-Z is a lightweight, two-seater sportscar equipped with
Honda’s petrol-electric hybrid IMA powertrain.
PUYO is a fuel cell vehicle designed to provide fun for both the driver and
his or her surroundings.
CR-Z Concept
Following in the tyre prints of the Honda Remix Concept (seen at LA Show
last year), and the Small Hybrid Sports Concept (debuted at Geneva in
March), the CR-Z Concept explores the potential of a compact, lightweight
sportscar that’s exciting to drive, but has minimal impact on the
environment.
The CR-Z features the latest Honda hybrid IMA powertrain to deliver low
emissions and impressive economy.
The front of the car sits low, and is dominated by an imposing, large
bumper with gaping air intakes. Meanwhile, the smooth lines across the
glass roof and rear of the car minimise drag.
Tube shaped combination lamps at the rear improve rearward visibility,
and other design details include stylish, high-visibility wing mirrors, LED
headlights, fin-shaped sidelights and large 19-inch wheels to enhance the
sporting appearance.
Inside, the aim was to give the concept car a light, spacious and
sophisticated feel. The CR-Z’s hi-tech interior features a blue, neon-like
finish across the main dash and centre console. Mesh material on a simple
framework is used throughout, with sporty seats to help support the driver
during cornering.
According to the Japanese design team, CR-Z stands for Compact
Renaissance - Zero.
PUYO
PUYO is a Japanese word that embodies the tactile traits of this unique
car. Puyo is meant to convey all that is warm and friendly, and put a smile
on the face of users and pedestrians.
This concept car has a ‘gel body’ made of soft materials that enhance the
‘real world’ safety properties of the vehicle. Lights beneath the body shine
through the gel, to help highlight doors and other manual functions, and
notify users of the vehicle’s condition.
PUYO represents a new idea in mobility that brings together the principles
of clean, safe and fun all into one environmentally-responsible, people-
friendly, yet minimalist design. The concept has a small frame, is ultra-
efficient and is powered by hydrogen fuel cell technology.
One of the key goals of the project was to create a cornerless car that was
kind to both people and the environment. The ‘Seamless Soft Box’ is
welcoming and inviting to look at, but also makes the most of the box-
shaped design’s spaciousness, managing to accommodate four people
within its tiny frame.
Developed to have a ‘silky feel’, the PUYO’s interior is designed to provide
a people-friendly cabin with a feeling of space emphasised by transparent
materials. Features include an instrument panel monitor, elastic-like
controls made from cloth that rise up when the vehicle starts and
luminous fluid level displays.
The obvious omission is the steering wheel, which is replaced by a
joystick, used for operation and manoeuvring.
Debut of Japanese-market Honda Fit
Holding its own in another corner of the stand is the all-new Japanese Fit,
which goes on sale in Japan in late October. Since it was first introduced in
2001, the Fit has been widely acclaimed for its style, functionality, and
outstanding fuel economy, with worldwide sales topping two million units.
The new Fit will form the basis for the Jazz, which will be launched in
Europe in late 2008.
In addition, a ‘Next Energy’ display will showcase Honda’s latest initiatives
in new energy development, including technology for producing
bioethanol from rice straw and environmentally-responsible, next-
generation thin-film solar cells, which will soon go on sale nationwide in
Japan.
Elsewhere on the stand, Honda will display a range of current production
cars as well as more advanced environmental technologies. To reflect
Honda’s motorsport heritage, the latest Formula 1 car and other racing
machines will be on show. 18 vehicles representing 11 different models
will be showcased in total.
The Honda press briefing will take place at 12.50-13.05 on Wednesday 24
October, in the Central Hall.
ON THE HONDA STAND
World Premiere Japan Premiere
Concept vehicles CR-Z FCX Concept
PUYO Civic Type R (racing
concept)
Planned production
vehicles
Inspire
Step Wagon
Step Wagon Spada
Production vehicles J-spec Fit J-spec S2000 Type S
J-spec Fit RS Civic Hybrid
J-spec Fit special-
needs vehicle
Motorsports F1 (RA107)
Accord Diesel
(entrant in 2007 Joy
endurance race)
Civic Hybrid (entrant
in 2007 Nürburgring
24-hour endurance
race)
Exhibits i-DTEC (cutaway
model)
V6-VCM petrol
engine
IMA Hybrid System
(cutaway model)
1.3-litre i-VTEC petrol
engine (display
model)
Fit (cutaway model)
Driving simulator
InterNavi satellite
navigation system
Ultra-thin solar
panels
Cogeneration unit
HONDA MOTORCYCLES AT TOKYO MOTOR SHOW
Honda’s motorcycle exhibition features world premiere concept models,
pre-launch models, and a comprehensive line-up of other motorcycles and
advanced environmental and safety technologies.
Conceived around the theme Find Your Wings, this year’s motorcycle
display will feature a wide variety of engine variations and innovative
motorcycles.
Honda’s display will feature 10 world premiere models and three Japanese
premieres. With other exhibits, the total number of bikes on show will be
33, as well as Honda’s environmental and safety technology displays,
including rider training devices.
At the forefront of the display will be the Evo6 concept model, featuring
Honda’s latest FCX Concept is based on a sleek, low-riding, sports saloon –
the purple beauty you may have seen at the Tokyo Motor Show a couple
of years ago, or the 2006 Paris Motor Show. This version of the fuel cell
car is the nearest we’ve got to a production reality – if you want a preview
of the future of motoring, the FCX Concept is the closest you’ll get at this
time.
Design gurus across the globe have expressed their admiration of the low-
floor, short-nose body of the FCX Concept, but the futuristic packaging
also houses a roomy and comfortable cabin – and a new, more-efficient
Honda FC Stack (the bit that converts hydrogen into electricity).
In fact, the newly-developed V Flow fuel cell platform played a key role in
the design of the elegant, low-slung saloon car shape. The latest FC Stack
is smaller (by 20 per cent), lighter (by 30 per cent) and is arranged in an
innovative centre-tunnel layout. But even though it’s a more compact
unit, power output is 14kW greater.
In previous fuel cell stacks, the hydrogen and the water formed during
electricity generation have flowed horizontally, but the new FCX Concept
features a vertical-flow design. This allows gravity to help get rid of the
water that is produced, resulting in a major improvement in water
drainage – the key to high-efficiency fuel stack performance. As a result,
the power generation is much more stable under a broad range of
conditions, and higher output is available from a smaller package.
Low-temperature startup – an issue with fuel cell cars in the past – has
also been significantly improved, and the FCX Concept can start in
temperatures 10°C lower than the current FCX – as low as minus 30°C.
The electric drive motor has been positioned coaxially with the gearbox,
which saves some space, and output is also increased by 15kW. Overall,
the power plant is about 180kg lighter than that of the current FCX and
about 40 per cent smaller. This has resulted in performance gains, better
efficiency and more room inside the cabin.
Previous incarnations of FCX have used an ultra-capacitor as an auxiliary
power source, but the FCX Concept carries a compact, high-efficiency
lithium ion battery, which gives greater power output and helps make the
power plant smaller overall.
And as the powertrain is more efficient, the car can travel further on one
tank of fuel – 354 miles – approximately 30 per cent more than the
current FCX.
It’s also incredibly energy efficient, with a rating of around 60 per cent –
that’s roughly three times that of a petrol-engined car, twice that of a
hybrid vehicle, and 10 per cent better than the previous FCX.
Other new features include seat upholstery and door linings made from
Honda Bio Fabric, a plant-based material that offers outstanding durability
and resistance to sunlight damage. Meanwhile, Shift-by-Wire technology
and a newly-designed instrument panel with easy-to-read display of
hydrogen fuel consumption make the car easier to drive in everyday
situations.
The FCX Concept will form the basis of a new fuel cell vehicle planned for
limited marketing in the US and Japan in 2008.
SPECIFICATIONS
Number of
passengers
4
Motor Max. Output 129PS
Max. Torque 256Nm (189lb.ft)
Type AC synchronous motor (Honda
mfg.)
Fuel Cell Stack Type PEFC (proton exchange
membrane fuel cell, Honda mfg.)
Output 100kW
Fuel Type Compressed hydrogen
Storage High-pressure hydrogen tank
(350atm)
Tank Capacity 171 litres
Dimensions (L x W x
H)
4,760 x 1,865 x 1,445mm
Max. Speed 100mph
Energy Storage Lithium Ion Battery
Vehicle Range* 354 miles
* When driven in LA4 mode (Honda calculations)
NOT ALL HYDROGEN CARS ARE THE SAME
Hydrogen will fuel the next generation of global vehicles. It’s a fact
accepted by the entire industry. And given that it’s the most commonly-
occurring element in the universe, supply is not an issue.
A future of cars powered by hydrogen is an exciting prospect to consider.
Not only can hydrogen help cars to emit zero CO2 emissions, but the
development of technology to use the fuel promises to change the ways
cars are designed, built and run forever.
However, there are different ways of using hydrogen as a fuel for a car.
For example, it can be burned within an internal combustion engine or it
can be used in a fuel cell to produce electricity to power a motor.
But while the initial fuel is the same, the way that the fuel is used, the
technologies employed to use the fuel – and not least the benefits and
disadvantages of the ways in which it’s used – are totally different.
In order to inform, educate and dispel some of the myths associated with
hydrogen fuel, we’ve put together the following fact sheet, which
compares just two ways in which hydrogen can be employed. We hope it
proves useful and clears some of the fog surrounding the issue.
Hydrogen-fuelled fuel cell technology (as used by
Honda FCX Concept)
Hydrogen-fuelled internal combustion engine (as used
by BMW Hydrogen 7)
Concept Honda’s V-Flow FC Stack combines hydrogen fuel with oxygen to create electricity via a chemical reaction. This powers an electric motor, that delivers
Hydrogen fuel is burned in an internal combustion engine, which creates power to drive the car. It’s a tried and tested technology that’s been around
drive to the car’s wheels for 100 years. We know it works.
Fuel Uses only hydrogen as fuel The BMW H7 can switch between petrol and hydrogen fuel – but that means it is impossible to optimise the engine for petrol or hydrogen, so therefore the engine is never working at its optimum. Also it can run solely on petrol – meaning the user can run the car on petrol the entire time (with CO2 levels of up to 327g/km)
Reliability Relies on a chemical reaction, not moving parts – but technology is new and further testing needs to be carried out
Continues to use moving parts, but technology is proven
Emissions A true zero harmful emissions vehicle (only water vapour is emitted from the exhaust)
Zero CO2 emissions, but emits nitrogen oxides (NOx) – albeit low levels) – created by the hydrogen and air mix burned in the engine
Storage Hydrogen stored as a compressed gas (at 35 MPa in a 171 litre tank)
Hydrogen stored in liquid form stored at -253 Celsius
Storage qualities
The down side of compressed gas is that energy is used in the compressing of the gas, and in-car storage tanks have to be fairly large in order to carry sufficient amounts of hydrogen
Liquid hydrogen is highly energy intensive as it has to be cooled down to -253 Celsius and therefore it has some storage problems. For example, if left for a period of time without using the car (currently estimated to be 9-14 days), ‘boil off’ takes place, meaning the liquid hydrogen warms up, is vaporised and escapes from the tank. As well as draining the fuel, this also means the car cannot be stored in a contained area for any length of time
Efficiency When employed as part of a car’s powertrain, fuel cell technology is incredibly efficient at using energy. The V-Flow FC Stack in the Honda FCX Concept is 60 per cent efficient at using the energy value of its hydrogen fuel. To put that into perspective, a petrol-fuelled hybrid is 28 per cent efficient, while a petrol internal combustion engine is just 18 per cent efficient at using the fuel (all when measured on the LA4 cycle).
Not nearly as efficient as a fuel cell, but we do not have the exact data provide an exact comparison. It is likely that a hydrogen internal combustion engine is half as efficient as a fuel cell, but that cannot be proven at this time.
Range Due to their excellent efficiency, fuel cells generally have a longer
The range of the BMW’s hydrogen tank is 125 miles
range. Honda’s FCX Concept has a range of 354 miles with a full tank. With only half of the amount of hydrogen that can be carried by the BMW Hydrogen 7, the FCX can travel 250 miles.
Technology Totally new way of powering a vehicle with innovative technology – the ultimate alternative fuel solution
An evolution of the combustion engine
Design Could revolutionise the car design industry: fuel cell cars do not have to accommodate a sizeable and heavy combustion engine, and the associated cooling components. Plus, the FC Stack can be house anywhere in the vehicle, allowing for a better centre of gravity and improved weight distribution
Based on existing car design
Infrastructure
Requires development of a new hydrogen refuelling infrastructure
Circumvents the problems of lack of infrastructure (as the internal combustion engine can run on petrol – but of course environmental benefits are lost)
Safety Honda’s FCX cars are in commercial use in America and Japan, which means they have to go through the same stringent crash and safety tests as any other vehicle. As well as protecting occupants from front, side and rear impact, the FCX also features special impact-absorbing framework around the fuel cell system and high-pressure hydrogen tanks, to shield them during a collision
Should still meet current safety/crash test regulations, as hydrogen is stored within tanks in existing car design
Timing FCX to be launched as production vehicle in US and Japan during 2008
There are cars in limited production, with fleets of test cars being used to raise awareness
If you’d like to discuss the future of cleaner cars in more detail, or Honda’s
approach to fuel cell development, Honda (UK)’s Environment Manager,
John Kingston will be in Tokyo.
He is also contactable by: Tel: 01753 590357 Email: