Honda will stop building its Clarity hydrogen fuel cell vehicle and the associated Clarity plug-in hybrid in August, the automaker announced.
Hydrogen Cars Make Sense in One Place
Hydrogen fuel-cell vehicles use the world’s most abundant element as fuel and emit only water vapor. But, to see widespread adoption, they would require a widespread fueling infrastructure. Outside of California, that doesn’t exist. We’re aware of 44 hydrogen refueling stations open to the public, 42 of them in the Golden State. Connecticut and Hawaii have one each.
The hydrogen-powered version of the Clarity is a comfortable midsize sedan with a surprisingly luxurious interior considering its price. It carries an asking price of $ $59,485. But it is offered only for lease — a 3-year lease with $2,878 due at signing and a monthly fee of $379. The lease includes $15,000 worth of hydrogen fuel.
Honda is one of three manufacturers currently selling (well, mostly leasing) a hydrogen fuel cell car in the U.S. The Toyota Mirai and Hyundai Nexo remain on the market in limited quantities. Though neither company has said anything about discontinuing its own hydrogen fuel cell experiments, we’d be remiss not to note that the Mirai was briefly the most discounted car in America early this year. When a company offers a car for 65% off its list price, we wonder about its future.
Honda, for what it’s worth, says it isn’t giving up on fuel cell technology. In a statement, the company says it “has set a target to make 100% of [its] vehicles sales battery-electric (BEV) or fuel cell electric (FCEV) by 2040.”
In the press release, which also announced the discontinuation of the Clarity, Honda said it will have enough Clarity Fuel Cell models to lease through 2022, and will continue to support Clarity customers.
Plug-In Version Still a Good Buy for Some
The plug-in Clarity is available nationwide and can be bought or leased. It carries an MSRP of $34,000, plus a $995 destination fee. It can travel 47 miles on electricity alone before its small gasoline engine kicks in and is remarkable for its comfort and generous storage space.
But it competes with Honda’s own Insight hybrid, which is simply easier to find.
Once a car has been discontinued, dealers will often accept lower offers for it because they’re anxious to get it off the lot and replace it with something the manufacturer is currently advertising. Hybrid shoppers might want to consider adding the Clarity plug-in to their test-drive list since its cancelation could be a good buying opportunity.
