New York State To Lease Two 2005 Honda Fuel Cell Cars
Governor George Pataki has announced that New York State will lease two Honda 2005 FCX hydrogen powered fuel cell vehicles. The zero emissions fuel cell cars will be added to the state’s growing fleet of alternative fuel vehicles.
New York is the first state government customer for the fuel cell vehicles in the United States and will be the first to operate the vehicles in the Northeast.
“New York is pleased to partner with Honda to utilize these innovative fuel cell vehicles, which use emerging technology to significantly reduce energy use, promote cleaner air and help break our dependence on foreign oil,” said Pataki.
“Fuel cells – like those used in this vehicle – have the potential to revolutionize the transportation and energy industries,” the governor said, “and we are proud that the state will play a major role in helping to develop the next generation of clean, energy efficient vehicles for daily use.”
As part of Honda’s testing program for the 2005 FCX, New York State will lease two cars for a period of two years with the first vehicle expected to be delivered in December and the second in mid-2005. The vehicles are the first fuel cell vehicles in New York’s fleet and will be used in regular daily State operations.
The Honda FCX converts compressed gaseous hydrogen into electricity for motive power with water as its only emission. The 2005 FCX has a range of up to 190 miles and seating for four people, making it practical for a wide range of real-world applications.
FCVs can be fueled with pure hydrogen gas stored onboard in high pressure tanks. They also can be fueled with hydrogen rich fuels, such as methanol, natural gas, or even gasoline. However, these fuels must first be converted into hydrogen gas by an onboard device called a “reformer.”
FCVs fueled with pure hydrogen emit no pollutants; only water and heat. In addition, FCVs can be twice as efficient as similarly sized conventional vehicles and may also incorporate other advanced technologies to increase efficiency.
The Honda FCX is the only fuel cell car to be certified by both the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency and the California Air Resources Board for regular daily use.
Beginning in model year 1997, the Federal Energy Policy Act of 1992 required state agencies to increase their acquisitions of alternative fueled vehicles for state fleets. New York State has exceeded these federally mandated requirements for the sixth consecutive year – in model year 2003, by nearly 14 percent.
In 2003, 89 percent of all light duty vehicles purchased by New York State were alternative fueled vehicles.
Currently, the state has 4,141 alternative fueled vehicles in its fleet, using a variety of different fuels, such as CNG, ethanol, propane, electric and hybrid vehicles. These vehicles make up 32 percent of the total vehicles in the state’s fleet and by 2009, that number is expected to jump to 62 percent.
Provided by the Environmental News Service.
