2007 Los Angeles Auto Show Remarks by Dan Bonawitz

November 14, 2007

11/14/2007 - Los Angeles, Calif. -

Good morning everyone, and thank you Mr. Iwamura.

This is an important day not only for Honda … but the entire industry.

Today, we give our new fuel cell vehicle a name … to herald a vehicle so substantially different from the model it replaces.

And because of the clear progress we have made … and continue to make … in taking fuel cell technology from the research lab to the real world.

We have made a fundamental breakthrough in fuel cell technology with the Honda V-Flow platform … a technology that enabled us to create something previously unachievable in a fuel cell vehicle

… a sedan with outstanding levels of performance, range and comfort.

And when we begin deliveries of the FCX Clarity next summer, it will happen without special permits, without daily visits by engineers in white lab coats, and without the imposition of limits on its use by the customer.

This is an advanced technology vehicle unlike anything else being offered in the industry today.

The FCX Clarity is a sleek, elegant and futuristic sedan that speaks with real authority to the future potential of the fuel cell vehicle as a mainstream technology.

When the FCX Clarity is launched next year, it will be the first commercial vehicle powered by lithium ion battery technology….

With substantially higher output than existing commercial technology … and a battery pack that is 50% smaller and 40% lighter than the ultra capacitor on the existing FCX.

The FCX Clarity’s single hydrogen storage tank has about 10 percent higher storage capacity, yet supports a driving range of 270 miles … that is up to 30% higher than the current FCX’s 210 miles.

The FCX Clarity’s powertrain … including the electric motor, the vertically-oriented fuel cell stack, and lithium ion battery pack … is 45% smaller than our current FCX … or roughly the same size as a hybrid powertrain.

And because the values of clean, safe and fun are fundamental to every Honda vehicle, the Clarity will meet all government safety standards.

There is nothing “experimental” about this car.

When we talk about safety, we back it up with certification just as we do with any other vehicle.

Same with fuel efficiency.

No talk about internal test data.

The Clarity’s fuel economy will be EPA-certified and displayed right on the window sticker.

And it will be up a full 20 percent from the current model FCX … we expect approximately 68 miles per gallon combined fuel economy.

That’s roughly 2 times the fuel economy of an accord, and 1.5 times the economy of a comparable hybrid model.

Clean, safe and fun, the Clarity turns out 100 kilowatts of high-torque power for a truly new and exhilarating driving experience …

A forward-looking take on Honda’s fun-to-drive dna. Mid-to high-range acceleration is vastly improved from the current model, with more than a 25 percent improvement in the power-to-weight ratio, in part from a roughly 400 pound reduction in fuel cell powertrain weight.

And while our California customers may not appreciate this so much, the FCX’s breakthrough ability to start and operate in sub-zero temperatures has been further improved … to minus 22 degrees fahrenheit … about the same level as a gasoline car.

It will also perform reliably in extreme heat, as we have proven with our existing vehicle through deployments with our customers in southern California and Las Vegas.

What our customers will certainly appreciate is a level of style and advanced, premium content designed to make the FCX Clarity appealing for more than just its rational environmental merits.

Even the interior is more environmentally responsible… with interior surfaces made of plant-derived Honda bio-fabrics.

And it is these virtues that we think will ultimately make the FCX Clarity a very compelling proposition with people who want to be on the absolute cutting edge of clean, efficient and gasoline-free automotive technology.

(pause)

But, as Mr. Iwamura alluded to earlier, we are not here just to show you a car… we’re here to demonstrate our vision in action.

Tomorrow, we will be conducting VIP ride-and-drives right outside this hall.

I encourage each of you to take a few moments tomorrow to visit with us outside of the west hall on Gilbert Lindsay drive and to see what some other constituents for this technology have to say about the Clarity.

With deliveries beginning early next summer, we are planning for a 3-year lease program with a price of $600 dollars per month.

I know you will have questions about sales volume.

But we will not be talking about our volume plans until closer to the launch date, next summer.

But please understand, we are absolutely committed to a 3-year program of customer deliveries aimed at long-term and continuous use that will put our technology to the only test that really matters … how it works with real people in the real world.

As part of this customer-focused effort we will develop a service infrastructure that provides customers with the best balance of convenience and dedicated fuel cell service support.

We will do this by working with our dealerships as our customer’s frontline.

Then Honda will perform all required work at a dedicated service facility that will be located in the greater Los Angeles area.

This is a symbol of how serious we are about the future of fuel cells.

In terms of retail customers, we will focus on individuals who live near hydrogen refueling stations in Santa Monica, Torrance and Irvine … and whose driving habits support regular, daily use and a variety of driving conditions. There will also be a number of fleet applications where there exists a centralized refueling capability, such as already exists with our current fleet customer base.

For the future of refueling … And with an eye toward wider deployment of our fuel cell technology in the future … we are continuing to advance our experimental home energy station technology.

This fourth-generation is now 75 percent smaller than the first-generation system, while reducing co 2 emissions by 30 percent and energy costs by half for a typical household in California.

The home energy station produces hydrogen from natural gas while generating heat and electricity for the home.

This device has been installed at our local Honda R&D facility, alongside our existing solar-powered hydrogen station.

Finally, as a further affirmation of our commitment to fuel cell technology … And the progress achieved through the first generation Honda FCX … I’d like to recognize a visionary leader who two months ago became our 3rd individual customer.

He’s someone well known to all of you, the former secretary of the California EPA.

In fact, his knowledge and experience with alternative fuel technologies and his role in helping create California’s hydrogen highway makes him a perfect addition as a Honda fuel cell vehicle customer.

I’d like to ask Mr. Terry Tamminen to stand.

Thank you, terry … both for your decision to become an FCX customer … snd for your leadership and commitment to help advance more environmentally responsible transportation.

And Terry is seated alongside two other members of our Honda fuel cell family, our two other retail customers: Sandy Spallino and Q’orianka Kilcher … As early adopters you are not only our customers, but partners who are helping us pioneer this advanced technology.

Thank you for being here.

(pause)

To the men and women who have helped create our all-new FCX Clarity this is a very emotional day.

But at Honda, passion and emotion are not something we wear on our sleeves … it’s something you find in our products.

So, please come up and take a closer look at Honda’s vision … and action… for the next 100 years of personal mobility.

Thank you and enjoy the rest of the show.

Written by Mr. Onil · Filed Under From 2007, Honda & Acura News | Leave a Comment

2007 Los Angeles Auto Show Remarks by Tetsuo Iwamura

November 14, 2007

11/14/2007 - Los Angeles, Calif. -

Good morning, and thank you for joining us for this world debut of Honda’s all-new Fuel cell vehicle.

Today, we are introducing not only a new vehicle, but a new name, FCX Clarity.

For Honda, and the industry, this is a moment of real Clarity.

Because FCX Clarity is a name that speaks to Honda’s clear vision for the future, and our company’s legacy for taking action … as well as the potential of the fuel cell vehicle to achieve the ultimate in clean mobility.

Because it delivers both advanced technology and advanced design … FCX Clarity is a major step closer to meeting the needs of customers in the real world.

And it is our goal to make it the first fuel cell car to be placed in the hands of individual retail customers on a regular and continuing basis.

Almost 40 years ago as the threat of air pollution was becoming a very serious concern … a group of Honda engineers adopted the words “blue skies for our children” as Honda’s vision to create a cleaner world for future generations.

Based on this vision we took action to create an engine that set a new world standard for cleaner emissions … and high fuel efficiency.

Today, even as we have continued to focus on clean air… Honda recognizes climate change and energy sustainability as two of the most critical global issues facing society.

Toward these challenges, we have focused on bringing advanced technology to market … to further increase fuel efficiency … and advance alternative fuels.

In this spirit … preserving “blue skies” for future generations is still our guiding force.

And the FCX Clarity is the next step in this vision and our commitment to act upon it.

I want to thank all of our customers of the first generation FCX … especially the city of Los Angeles … the world’s first fuel cell customer and the Spallino family … the world’s first fuel cell family.

They are not only our customers … they have served the world as pioneers and partners in our shared effort to advance the cause of a cleaner, more efficient and sustainable mobility.

But the best way to serve our customers … and meet our responsibility as an automaker … is to continue to advance this technology and bring it to market as soon as possible.

We realize that there are many questions about fuel cell vehicles … about the cost… about the fuel… and about how long it will take to bring to the mass market. We admit that the challenges we still face are very real.

But so is our determination to overcome them.

Please consider how far we’ve come in a very short time.

Over the past seven years, we have reduced the fuel cell stack to one-fifth its original size.

We have reduced by half the number of parts in the stack, reducing manufacturing complexity.

And we have achieved this while increasing performance …

range …

style …

passenger and cargo space …

and the ability to start and operate in extreme hot and cold weather conditions.

Step by step, with continuous effort, commitment and focus on the customer, we are overcoming all of these obstacles.

The challenges are real.

But so is Honda’s commitment to continue advancement … and so is the progress we are making.

We have a vision to meet this challenge, to lead the way for the next 100 years of personal mobility.

And this new FCX Clarity represents our vision … in action.

Thank you.

Written by Mr. Onil · Filed Under From 2007, Honda & Acura News | Leave a Comment

Honda Introduces Experimental Home Energy Station IV

November 14, 2007

11/14/2007 - TORRANCE, Calif., -Honda today announced that it has begun using the Home Energy Station IV at its Honda R&D Americas, Inc. facility in Torrance, California. This fourth-generation experimental unit is designed to provide fuel for a hydrogen-powered fuel cell vehicle, as well as heat and electricity for a home. The new system is more compact and efficient, with a lower operating cost than previous models. The announcement coincides with the world debut of the all-new FCX Clarity hydrogen-powered fuel cell vehicle at the Los Angeles Auto Show.

Honda’s Home Energy Station technology is designed to facilitate the broader adoption of zero-emissions fuel cell vehicles, like the FCX Clarity, by developing a home refueling solution that makes efficient use of a home’s existing natural gas supply for production of hydrogen, while providing heat and electricity to an average-size home.

The Home Energy Station IV can reduce both cost and carbon dioxide (CO₂) emissions for the consumer. Compared to the average U.S. consumer’s home with grid-supplied electricity and a gasoline-powered car, a home using Home Energy Station IV to help produce heat and electricity and also to refuel an FCX Clarity can reduce CO₂ emissions by an estimated 30 percent and energy costs by an estimated 50 percent.

“Honda is striving to address the need for a refueling infrastructure for hydrogen fuel cell vehicles,” said Ben Knight, vice president of Honda R&D Americas. “The Home Energy Station represents one promising solution to this issue, while offering the added benefit of heating and powering the home more efficiently.”

Working with technology partner, Plug Power, Inc., Honda began operation of a Home Energy Station in October, 2003. Home Energy Station IV represents the latest evolution of the technology with a 70 percent reduction in size compared to the first unit, making it even more suitable for household installation. By combining gas purification and power generation components, overall size reduction and efficiency gains are achieved, while enabling it to switch from hydrogen refining to power generation when needed.

Written by Mr. Onil · Filed Under From 2007, Honda & Acura News | Leave a Comment

Honda Debuts All-New FCX Clarity Advanced Fuel Cell Vehicle

November 14, 2007

11/14/2007 - LOS ANGELES, -

Honda today unveiled the FCX Clarity fuel cell vehicle at the Los Angeles Auto Show, announcing plans to begin limited retail marketing of the vehicle in summer 2008.

The FCX Clarity is a next-generation, zero-emissions, hydrogen-powered fuel cell vehicle based on the entirely-new Honda V Flow fuel cell platform, and powered by the highly compact, efficient and powerful Honda V Flow fuel cell stack. Featuring tremendous improvements to driving range, power, weight and efficiency - and boasting a low-slung, dynamic and sophisticated appearance, previously unachievable in a fuel cell vehicle - the FCX Clarity marks the significant progress Honda continues to make in advancing the real-world performance and appeal of the hydrogen-powered fuel cell car.

“The FCX Clarity is a shining symbol of the progress we’ve made with fuel cell vehicles and of our belief in the promise of this technology,” said Tetsuo Iwamura, American Honda president and CEO. “Step by step, with continuous effort, commitment and focus, we are working to overcome obstacles to the mass-market potential of zero-emissions hydrogen fuel cell automobiles.”

American Honda plans to lease the FCX Clarity to a limited number of retail consumers in Southern California with the first deliveries taking place in summer 2008.

Full details of the lease program will be set closer to launch, but current plans call for a three-year lease term with a price of $600 per month, including maintenance and collision insurance. American Honda is also developing a service infrastructure that provides customers with the best balance of convenience and the highest quality of service. When the FCX Clarity requires periodic maintenance, customers will simply schedule a visit with their local Honda dealer. American Honda will transport the vehicle to their fuel cell service facility, located in the greater Los Angeles area, where all required work will be performed. At the completion of the work, the customer will pick up their car from the dealer.

How It Works

The FCX Clarity utilizes Honda’s V Flow stack in combination with a new compact and efficient lithium ion battery pack and a single hydrogen storage tank to power the vehicle’s electric drive motor. The fuel cell stack operates as the vehicle’s main power source. Hydrogen combines with atmospheric oxygen in the fuel cell stack, where chemical energy from the reaction is converted into electric power used to propel the vehicle. Additional energy captured through regenerative braking and deceleration is stored in the lithium ion battery pack, and used to supplement power from the fuel cell, when needed. The vehicle’s only emission is water.

Honda V Flow Fuel Cell Platform

The FCX Clarity’s revolutionary new V Flow platform packages the ultra-compact, lightweight and powerful Honda V Flow fuel cell stack (65 percent smaller than the previous Honda FC stack) in the vehicle’s center tunnel, between the two front seats. Taking advantage of a completely new cell configuration, the vertically-oriented stack achieves an output of 100 kilowatts (kW) (versus 86kW in the current Honda FC stack) with a 50 percent increase in output density by volume (67 percent by mass). Its compact size allows for a more spacious interior and more efficient packaging of other powertrain components, which would otherwise be unattainable in a sleek, low-slung sedan.

The FCX Clarity boasts numerous other significant advances in the performance and packaging of Honda fuel cell technology, compared to the current-generation FCX. These include¹:

a 20-percent increase in fuel economy - to the approximate equivalent of 68 mpg² combined fuel economy (about 2-3 times the fuel economy of a gasoline-powered car, and 1.5 times that of a gasoline-electric hybrid vehicle, of comparable size and performance);
a 30-percent increase in vehicle range - to 270 miles;
a 25-percent improvement in power-to-weight ratio, in part from an approximate 400-pound reduction in the fuel cell powertrain weight, for superior performance and efficiency despite a substantial increase in overall vehicle size;
a 45-percent reduction in the size of the fuel cell powertrain - nearly equivalent, in terms of volume, to a modern gas-electric hybrid powertrain;
an advanced new lithium-ion battery pack that is 40 percent lighter and 50 percent smaller than the current-generation FCX’s ultra-capacitor; and
a single 5,000-psi hydrogen storage tank with 10 percent additional hydrogen capacity than the previous model.

FCX Clarity Design

More than just a fuel cell vehicle - the FCX Clarity speaks to Honda’s vision of the future of automobile design and performance freed from the constraints of conventional powertrain technologies. The FCX Clarity’s four-door sedan platform features a short-nose body and spacious cabin with comfortable accommodations for four people and their luggage. Major powertrain components - including the electric motor, fuel cell stack, battery pack and hydrogen tank - have been made more compact and are distributed throughout the vehicle to further optimize space, comfort and total vehicle performance.

Advanced Materials and Components

In keeping with its theme as an environmentally-advanced automobile, the FCX Clarity features seat upholstery and door linings made from Honda Bio-Fabric - a newly-developed, plant-based material that offers CO₂ reductions as an alternative to traditional interior materials, along with outstanding durability and resistance to wear, stretching, and damage from sunlight.

Designed to appeal to forward-thinking customers seeking the ultimate in zero-emissions, alternative-fuel vehicle performance, the FCX Clarity is also equipped with a full compliment of advanced safety, comfort and convenience features, including a state-of-the-art navigation system with hydrogen station locations, backup camera, premium audio, climate-controlled seats and Bluetooth™ connectivity.

Other improvements, such as shift-by-wire, electric power steering (EPS), and a newly-designed instrument panel with an easy-to-read hydrogen fuel-consumption display, further improve its customer appeal and ease of operation.

CO₂ Emissions

The FCX Clarity’s only emission is water. Carbon Dioxide (CO₂) emissions come only from the production of hydrogen, which varies by source; however, well-to-wheel CO₂ emissions using hydrogen reformed from natural gas - the most widely used method of production today - are less than half that of a conventional gasoline vehicle. With the production of hydrogen from water by electrolysis, CO₂ emissions can be further reduced and ultimately approach zero if the electricity used for electrolysis is generated using solar, wind, water or nuclear power.

Honda has developed its own solar cells, with half of the CO₂ emissions in the production stage compared to conventional crystalline silicon cells; and has begun mass-production and retail sales of this technology in Japan for both commercial and residential use.

Fuel Cell Leadership

Based on its vision of, “Blue Skies for our Children”, Honda has worked for forty years at reducing the environmental impact of the automobile, including efforts to reduce emissions, boost fuel efficiency and, now, many industry-leading efforts to advance the hydrogen fuel cell vehicle - a technology and fuel that Honda believes may hold the ultimate promise for a clean and sustainable transportation future. Honda’s pioneering achievements in this area include the first EPA and CARB certification of a fuel cell vehicle (2002); the first lease of a fuel cell vehicle (2002); the first fuel cell vehicle to receive an EPA fuel economy rating (2002); the first cold-weather customer (2004); the first and still only individual retail customers (2005, 2007); and the first and still only fuel cell vehicle to be eligible for a federal tax credit.

About Honda

Honda is America’s most fuel-efficient car company and a leader in the development of leading-edge technologies to improve fuel efficiency and reduce CO₂ emissions, including advanced gasoline engines, gasoline-electric hybrids, natural gas-powered engines, and hydrogen fuel cells. Founded in Japan in 1948, Honda began operations in the U.S. in 1959 with the establishment of American Honda Motor Co., Inc., Honda’s first overseas subsidiary. Honda began U.S. production³ of motorcycles in 1979 and automobiles in 1982. The company has invested more than $9 billion in its North American operations with 14 major manufacturing facilities, employment of more than 35,000 associates, and annual purchases of more than $17.6 billion in parts and materials from suppliers in North America.

A consumer Web site for the FCX is available at fcx.honda.com. Media information, high-resolution images and video of the FCX Clarity (and other Honda vehicles) is available at www.hondanews.com. More information about Honda’s environmental initiatives and products can be found in the company’s annual North American Environmental Report which can be downloaded at www.honda.com.

¹ Specifications may change prior to the certification and sales of production units.
² Honda in-house calculation
³ Using domestic and globally sourced parts

Written by Mr. Onil · Filed Under From 2007, Honda & Acura News | Leave a Comment

American Honda Reports Record October Sales

November 1, 2007

11/01/2007 - TORRANCE, Calif. -

American Honda Motor Co., Inc., posted record October sales of 114,799 Honda and Acura vehicles, surpassing the previous October 2005 record of 110,895, the company announced today. Based on the daily selling rate*, October sales declined 0.2 percent due to one additional selling day compared to last year.

Year-to-date, American Honda sales increased 2.5 percent to 1,308,319. Honda Division year-to-date sales increased 4.3 percent to 1,158,707.

Honda Division posted record October sales of 101,913, up 3.4 percent compared to last year. October records for individual models included the Odyssey with sales of 14,451, up 24.4 percent, and the Fit, with sales of 4,868, up 67.3 percent for the month. Sales of the Accord increased 25.8 percent to 30,936. Sales of the Civic increased 7.3 percent to 23,809. Honda Division total car sales increased 19.8 percent to 59,921.

“Car sales are gaining momentum and response to the new Accord has been positive,” said Dick Colliver, executive vice president of American Honda. “Car sales are up for a variety of reasons, but the number one reason is that compelling products with inherent value generate consumer interest.”

Acura Division posted sales of 12,886 with a new October record set for the RDX sport utility vehicle. Sales of the RDX increased 9.5 percent to 1,937. Sales of the MDX sport utility vehicle increased 5.4 percent to 4,855. Record Acura Division light-truck sales increased 6.5 percent to 6,792. October sales of the TL luxury performance sedan totaled 3,421; the TSX sports sedan totaled 2,308.

*The daily selling rate (DSR) is calculated with 26 days for October 2007, versus 25 days for October 2006. Year-to-date, the DSR is calculated with 256 days for 2007, versus 255 days for 2006. All percentages reflect DSR.

For more information about Honda vehicles, please visit www.honda.com. For media inquiries, please go to www.hondanews.com.

For more information about Acura vehicles, please visit www.acura.com. For media inquiries, please go to www.acuranews.com.