Honda’s new zero-emission, hydrogen fuel cell car on a roll

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Honda’s new zero-emission, hydrogen fuel cell car ...

Honda's new zero- emission, hydrogen fuel cell car rolled off a Japanese production line on Monday and is headed to southern California, where eco-friendly Hollywood is already abuzz over the latest splash in green motoring.

The FCX Clarity, which runs on hydrogen and electricity, emits only water and none of the noxious fumes believed to induce global warming. It is also two times more energy efficient than a gas-electric hybrid and three times that of a standard gasoline-powered car, the company says.

Japan's No 3 automaker expects to lease out a "few dozen" units this year and about 200 units within three years.

In California, a three-year lease will run USD 600 a month, which includes maintenance and collision coverage.

Among the first customers are actress Jamie Lee Curtis and filmmaker husband Christopher Guest, actress Laura Harris, film producer Ron Yerxa, as well as businessmen Jon Spallino and Jim Salomon.

"It's so smooth," said Harris, who payed villainess Marie Warner on the hit TV show "24." "It's like a future machine, but it's not."

Harris, Spallino and Yerxa were flown over to the ceremony, courtesy of Honda. Yerxa says he's excited to showoff the garnet-coloured, four-door sedan and believe there's "a lot of interest in the car."

The FCX Clarity is an improvement of its previous-generation fuel cell vehicle, the FCX, introduced in 2005.