But don't get too excited. Like other hydrogen fuel cell vehicles, availability will likely be extremely limited and be restricted to regions with the greatest number of hydrogen filling stations. It's also reasonable to assume that, due to the high cost of the technology, the B-Class F-CELL will only be available on very limited leases.

The Press Release Follows:

Mercedes-Benz is launching its first series-produced fuel cell car on the road: the new B‑Class F-CELL. The environmentally friendly electric car has better a performance similar to than a 2,0-litre petrol car and is fully suited for everyday driving. The zero-emission drive system consumes the equivalent of 3.3 litres of diesel per 100 kilometres in the NEDC (New European Driving Cycle). Production of the B‑Class F-CELL will commence in late 2009 with a small lot. The first of around 200 vehicles will be delivered to customers in Europe and the USA at the beginning of next year.
The new fuel cell vehicle offers everything that people expect from a Mercedes-Benz: High comfort and safety as well as no reduction in interior space and boot capacity. Customers will not have to sacrifice any driving pleasure either, because the electric motor has a peak performance of 100 kW/136 hp and a maximum torque of 290 Nm, which is available from the first rotation. It ensures that the B‑Class F-CELL, whose impressive dynamic handling properties are in some cases far better than those of a two-litre petrol car, gets off to an excellent start. Despite these qualities, the zero-emission fuel cell drive consumes the equivalent of only 3.3 litres of diesel fuel per 100 kilometres (NEDC). Thanks to its great range of about 400 kilometres and short refuelling times of around three minutes, the B‑Class F-CELL ensures local zero-emission mobility even for long stretches.
"2009 is the year in which we are establishing further milestones where sustainable mobility is concerned. The B-Class F-CELL is taking on a pioneering role as the world's first fuel cell powered automobile to be produced under series production conditions", says Dr. Thomas Weber, Member of the Board of Management of Daimler AG, responsible for Group Research and Development for Mercedes-Benz Cars.
The vehicle's technological heart is the new generation of the compact, high-performance fuel cell system, in which gaseous hydrogen reacts with atmospheric oxygen at 700 bar to generate a current for the electric motor. The fuel cell system of the B‑Class F-CELL has a very good cold-start capability even at temperatures as low as minus 25 degrees Celsius. The drive system was completely newly developed versus the F-CELL A-Class presented in 2004, with Mercedes-Benz engineers achieving considerable improvements in output, torque, operating range, reliability, starting characteristics and comfort. The B-Class F-CELL now offers driving pleasure and day-to-day suitability at Mercedes level – without local emissions.
As in hybrids with combustion engines, the fuel-cell car uses a lithium-ion battery with an output of 35 kW and a capacity of 1.4 kWh to boost power and recover braking energy. Lithium-ion technology offers several advantages over conventional batteries, including compact dimensions, high performance, great recharge efficiency and a long service life.
The B‑Class F-CELL employs the unique sandwich floor architecture that is well-known from the A- and B-Class. The advantage of this design is that the drive components are located in the sandwich floor, where they are protected and don't take up much space so that the vehicle's interior remains fully usable and a boot capacity of 416 litres is available.
The B-Class F-CELL does not need to fear comparison where equipment is concerned either. Eye-catching features include a bonamite silver paint finish and exclusive light-alloy wheels in a 10-spoke design. In the interior, leather upholstery, seat heating, automatic climate control and the COMAND-system, as well as other features, continue to ensure a high level of comfort.
Same level of safety as in other Mercedes cars
No matter what the conditions, the operational reliability of the B‑Class F-CELL is of the same high level as in Mercedes vehicles with conventional combustion engines. The B‑Class F-CELL's integrated safety concept takes the specific characteristics of the innovative drive system into account. The concept incorporates the expertise from the many years of experience Mercedes-Benz has had with fuel cell drives and high-voltage applications. Mercedes engineers have tested and optimised the drive-specific components' safety in more than 30 additional crash tests.
Network of filling stations required for car's widespread use
With more than 100 test vehicles and a combined total of over 4.5 million kilometres of trial testing, Daimler and Mercedes-Benz have the most extensive experience with fuel cell vehicles of any manufacturer worldwide. The B‑Class F-CELL is further testimony of this technology's high level of development for automotive use. However, a comprehensive network of hydrogen filling stations still has to be set up before locally zero-emission driving can become a widespread reality. To make this possible, Daimler is cooperating with government authorities, energy utilities and oil companies in joint projects in places such as Hamburg, Stuttgart and California.
Mercedes-Benz views the development of electric cars with battery and fuel cell drives for local zero-emission driving as a means of supplementing vehicles with high-tech internal combustion engines. Advanced diesel and petrol engines will remain important for automotive applications for a long time to come - not only for individual mobility in passenger cars - especially over long distances - but, more importantly, for freight transport in trucks. Electric vehicles, on the other hand, will increasingly be used in urban transport.
Mercedes-Benz B‑Class F-Cell technical data
Drive

Electric motor with fuel cell
Rated output (kW/hp) 100/136
Rated torque (Nm) 290
Maximum speed (km/h) 170
Consumption (NEDC) (l of diesel equivalent/100 km) 3.3
Total CO2 (g/km min.–max.) 0.0
Range (km) NEDC 385
Capacity of lithium-ion battery (kWh/kW) 1.4/35
Cold-start capability: to -25 °C

The idea of a hydrogen-fueled auto industry has lost popularity recently due to advances in battery technology and a renewed interest in regular electric vehicles, with their more-readily-built-in fueling infrastructure. The Riversimple hopes to address these issues in two ways.

First, the vehicle will be leased with all fuel and repairs included at a cost of approximately $315 per month. This means there's an impetus for the company to continue to build more efficient vehicles. The manufacturer has partnered with a British gas supply company to install hydrogen stations in cities where the vehicle prototypes rollout.

Second, the company will distribute the plans through the non-profit company 40 Fires Foundation, which will allow smaller manufacturers to build the cars themselves and improve/adapt them for their markets assuming they share those plans with the company.

The prototype is made of lightweight composites and is able to achieve the equivalent of 300 MPG with a top speed of 50 MPH. Electric motors at each corners, combined with ultracapacitors, allow for zippy performance. The company has set 2013 as a goal for production. [Riversimple]

Photo Credit: Peter Macdiarmid/Getty Images

In addition to the vanilla drive, Jay Leno makes a short cameo in this clip from last Sunday's episode of Top Gear. Watch as silent blandosity saves us from the evils of global warming while reserving the dino-juice for the fast cars.

Honda FC Sport Design Study Suggests Hydrogen Sports Car Future

Innovative fuel cell packaging demonstrates green performance potential

LOS ANGELES, Nov. 19, 2008 – Honda today revealed the Honda FC Sport design study model, a hydrogen-powered, three-seat sports car concept, at the 2008 Los Angeles Auto Show.
The FC Sport emphasizes the design flexibility and potential of Honda’s V Flow fuel cell technology – already deployed in the Honda FCX Clarity sedan – and reconfigures it into a lightweight sports car design with an ultra-low center of gravity, powerful electric motor performance and zero-emissions. The design study concept is inspired by supercar levels of performance through low weight and a high-performance, electrically driven fuel cell powertrain.
“The Honda FC Sport explores how to satisfy automotive performance enthusiasts in a world beyond petroleum,” said Dan Bonawitz, vice president of American Honda Motor Co., Inc. “People who love sports cars will still have a reason to love in a hydrogen-powered future.”
The high-output Honda fuel cell powertrain and a sleek, aerodynamic body contribute to the vehicle’s performance potential. A modular approach to fuel cell component packaging and the electric drivetrain contribute to the FC Sport’s low center of gravity with the majority of vehicle mass distributed between the axles, creating the balanced weight distribution sought after in sports cars.

The company is taking deposits for the regular version of the Scorpion (just $150,000), which offers 450 HP from the twin-turbocharged V6, and the much greener Scorpion HX ($250,000), which should be good for 600 HP and includes all manner of luxuries. We've heard of this technology before, though we remain skeptical until we see hard scientific proof. Video of the car and a press release below.

Scorpion Ronn Motor Company @ SEMA 2008

Ronn Motor Company Partners With duPont Registry to Debut Eco-Exotic ScorpionTM Supercar at SEMA

Debuting November 4th, Austin-Based Auto Company Revolutionizes Supercar Category at Show Famous for Debuting Groundbreaking Technology

AUSTIN, TX—(Marketwire) - Ronn Motor Company, Inc. (RMC) (PINKSHEETS: RNNM) is proud to announce the highly anticipated introduction of the world's first eco-exotic supercar with the Scorpion™ making its world debut at the 2008 SEMA Show in Las Vegas, NV, November 4th - 7th. The first supercar of its kind to ever be created, the Scorpion™ is set to be unveiled at a show famously known for displaying the very best in groundbreaking automotive products and new technology. On the eve of the world premiere, the gasoline-hydrogen hybrid has caught the attention of a wide gamut of enthusiasts, ranging from exotic car fans to green fuel aficionados, including renowned authority in luxury, duPont Registry, which will be honoring the eco-exotic at its own SEMA booth with its esteemed Publisher's Choice award.

"One of the missions of the duPont Registry is to bring our readers the very best in automotive luxury and to make sure they are aware of new, unique cars such as the Scorpion™ from Ronn Motor Company," said Thomas duPont, Founder and Publisher of the duPont Registry. "We are extremely proud to have the Scorpion™ with us at SEMA and think this wonderful car aptly addresses several issues the world faces today while simultaneously delivering a beautifully designed, astoundingly high performing exotic."

Designed by RMC and engineered by acclaimed design firm, MetalCrafters, with a flowing, sensually lined low slung body; the $150,000 (U.S.) twin-turbo 450-horsepower Scorpion™ supercar features the latest in green fuel technology through its proprietary H2Go™ Hydrogen On-Demand system. With an aesthetically pleasing look joined with supercar performance and environmentally friendly technology, Ronn Motors is set to create a new breed of high-performance exotic automobiles made for enthusiasts looking for an exotic without compromise.

"Ronn Motor Company is proud to announce that the world introduction of our Scorpion™ eco-exotic will take place at such a celebrated automobile event like SEMA," commented President and Chief Operating Officer Ronn Maxwell. "The SEMA show presents the perfect platform for us, and we couldn't be more excited for the Scorpion™ to be introduced there at the duPont Registry booth. Our hope with the Scorpion™ is to implement a paradigm shift not only in how the industry looks at supercars, but at cars in general."

The Scorpion™ will be displayed at the duPont Registry booth at the SEMA show, where Publisher Tom duPont will personally unveil the supercar to an enthusiastic gathering of leading automobile publications and members of the media as well as car aficionados. As recipient of the duPont Registry: A Buyers Gallery of Fine Automobiles® Publisher's Choice Award, the Scorpion™ was judged by the magazine as embodying forward-thinking technology and styling as acknowledged by Founder and Publisher Tom duPont.

The Scorpion™ supercar will be limited to 200 production units, retailing for $150,000 (U.S.). Deliveries of the vehicles are slated for the first quarter of 2009.

Mazda Hydrogen Rotary Vehicle Takes to the Road in Norway

HIROSHIMA, Japan—Mazda Motor Corporation today introduced the Mazda RX-8 Hydrogen RE (Rotary Engine) vehicle to Norway’s public roads in collaboration with the Norwegian national hydrogen project, HyNor. Initially, the RX-8 Hydrogen RE’s driving performance on Norwegian roads will be validated with a single vehicle, which will also be shown at various events. This marks the first time that a Mazda hydrogen rotary vehicle has been put into regular use on public roads outside Japan.

Mazda signed a memorandum of understanding with HyNor (Hydrogen Road of Norway) to participate in the project in November 2007. HyNor is a national project in the Kingdom of Norway that aims to establish a clean energy transport system based on hydrogen fuel. Beginning in fiscal year 2009, Mazda will provide approximately 30 RX-8 Hydrogen RE vehicles for the HyNor project under commercial lease contracts.

The RX-8 Hydrogen RE validation vehicle is being delivered in advance so that Mazda and HyNor can jointly assess its driving performance in Norway. It will also be exhibited at environmental and other events for potential customers who are interested in leasing a hydrogen vehicle.

“Up to now, real world use of Mazda’s hydrogen rotary vehicles has been limited to Japan. Participation in the HyNor project marks our advancement to the next stage,” says Akihiro Kashiwagi, Mazda’s program manager in charge of hydrogen RE development. “After we validate the first vehicle on Norwegian roads, we intend to deliver 30 more units under commercial lease contracts. We are pleased to be a part of the establishment of a society based on hydrogen energy in Norway. Mazda plans to use the wealth of data and experience that will result from this project for the further development of hydrogen vehicles.”

HyNor is a unique Norwegian initiative to demonstrate the implementation of a hydrogen energy infrastructure along a 580 kilometer route from Oslo to Stavanger in Norway. Hydrogen filling stations are being established along this transport corridor to enable refueling of hydrogen vehicles. The project aims to revolutionize transportation in Norway by encompassing buses, taxis and private cars, and varying types of transport systems, including urban, inter-city, regional and even long-distance transport. In August 2006, Mazda attended the ceremony to commemorate the opening of Norway’s first hydrogen filling station constructed by HyNor. This was also where the first on-road demonstration of a RX-8 Hydrogen RE vehicle outside of Japan took place. Since April 2006, Mazda has delivered eight RX-8 Hydrogen RE vehicles to government bodies and enterprises in Japan under commercial lease contracts.

[Mazda via Autoblog Green]

GM is putting high technology in the hands of the government's most notoriously dangerous agency. While deep undercover, we're certain the "mail carriers" will use the Equinox to quickly develop the necessary network of hydrogen depots, drop stations, and the intel needed for the larger plan, whatever that is. We don't know what the "targets" are, but the plan falls under GM's false flag "Project Driveway" operation. So far they've placed a hundred of these "fuel cell vehicles" with "test subjects" around the country. We don't like where this is going. Not one bit. Now where are our meds? [Edmunds

Mazda Premacy Hydrogen RE Hybrid Gains Government Approval to Begin Public Road Testing in Japan

HIROSHIMA, Japan—Mazda Motor Corporation today received permission from Japan's Ministry of Land Infrastructure and Transport (MLIT) to test the Mazda Premacy Hydrogen RE Hybrid minivan on public roads. Mazda's newest hydrogen rotary engine vehicle features a hybrid system that increases the vehicle's power by 40 percent and doubles the hydrogen fuel range to 200 kilometers. Mazda aims to complete the road trials and start commercial leasing in Japan during fiscal year 2008. The Mazda Premacy Hydrogen RE Hybrid is the world's first hydrogen hybrid car with a dual-fuel system that enables the car to run on either hydrogen or gasoline.

Separately, Mazda has also announced that it will display and demonstrate its hydrogen rotary vehicles at the G8 Hokkaido Toyako Summit in July 2008. The Premacy Hydrogen RE Hybrid will debut alongside the previously released RX-8 Hydrogen RE at the summit's Environmental Showcase.

Akihiro Kashiwagi, Mazda's program manager in charge of hydrogen RE development, said, "We are committed to improving the performance of our hydrogen rotary engine vehicles to help promote a more eco-friendly place for the automobile in society. Getting permission from the transportation authorities in Japan to begin public road testing the Premacy Hydrogen RE Hybrid in time for the Hokkaido Toyako Summit is extremely significant, because the eyes of the world will be focused on Japan's environmental technologies. Going forward, we will continue to advance our development program and strive to start commercial leasing during this fiscal year."

The Premacy Hydrogen RE Hybrid incorporates the acclaimed dual-fuel system*2 from the RX-8 Hydrogen RE, which became the world's first commercially available hydrogen rotary engine vehicle in 2006. The Premacy Hydrogen RE Hybrid also features a hybrid system that combines an electric motor with Mazda's hydrogen rotary engine to realize significantly enhanced performance. Mazda's other environmental technologies showcased on the vehicle include "Mazda Biotechmaterials." Used for some of the vehicle's interior plastic parts and seat covers, these plant-derived materials contribute to reduced CO2 emissions.

Under its Sustainable Zoom-Zoom environmental plan, Mazda is dedicated to pursuing harmony between driving pleasure and environmental and safety features, while working toward an advanced Zoom-Zoom future by developing vehicles that "look inviting to drive, are fun to drive, and make you want to drive again."

[Source Mazda]

Probably because it's the same distribution plan GM's using for their own Chevy Equinox hydrogen fuel cell-powered game-changer. But while the General got a six-month head start on the hype-building, Honda's got one thing they don't have — an attractive vehicle. Yeah, it's the little things. Don't cry GM — there, there — you'll win one of these days. Hey, look on the bright side — when's the Chevy Volt coming out again? 2010? Oh. Well, keep trying. [NYtimes]

Both bikes use a similar power train, a hydrogen fuel cell / electric hybrid. Basically, the fuel cell produces electricity, which provides motivation and recharges the battery. When stronger acceleration is needed, the batteries — located in the belly pan — chip in. It's all completely seamless and silent in action and there's no gears or clutch, so the experience is a combination of the tall and narrow riding position of a dirt bike with the controls and power of a scooter. That might sound a bit boring, but the light weight and ease of use make the ideal combination for an approachable urban commuter.

While the ENV used high-end mountain bike components and topped out at wobbly 45mph, the Crosscage should make enough power to reach 60mph+ and a uses normal motorcycle suspension, wheels and tires, so expect a more competent and usable riding experience.

Before partnering with Suzuki, Intelligent Energy planed on selling the ENV in cosmopolitan, congested cities like London, Paris, Tokyo and New York. They'd overcome the lack of a hydrogen infrastructure with mobile filling stations in those areas - think guy in a pickup with some bottles of gas - and market their home natural gas / hydrogen conversion system as a permanent fuel source. If Suzuki moves ahead with Crosscage production, expect a similar strategy. [via Hell For Leather]

We've heard all the arguments before: lack of infrastructure, high development costs, unproven technology, bad leadership; but here are vehicles which, as we speak, are being driven to Washington DC in climate-controlled comfort by their student creators

Yes, GM is developing the Volt, a car that's essentially electric on a platform allowing for production-swappable powertrain technology to eliminate the limited range. Basically, it allows for every powertrain under the sun including diesel, petrol, hydrogen and probably poop — but we don't want to wait until 2011 to drive it, we want it now damnit. Yes, even the poop-powered version. The company intends for Challenge X to highlight possibilities, and it does. However the unfortunate flip-side is it also highlights the lack of foresight in their past, a mistake they're only now trying to fix. After all, if a bunch of kids can build a fleet of alternate-fuel cars, why can't one of the world's biggest companies? And no, a limited-run fuel cell Equinox fleet does not count.

OLAFUR ELIASSON - YOUR MOBILE EXPECTATIONS: BMW H2R PROJECT

Munich. At his only museum exhibition in Germany this year, the Danish-Icelandic
artist Olafur Eliasson (*1967) will present his project developed over the
past three years and entitled »Your mobile expectations: BMW H2R
project« at the Pinakothek der Moderne in Munich.

The final version of the 16th BMW Art Car, the outer shell of which Eliasson
replaces with a fragile skin of ice, will be celebrating its premiere in Munich.
This Eliasson-designed automobile, the BMW H2R, is a racing car powered
by hydrogen that has been developed to achieve speed records and at the
same time point to the future in terms of sustainable mobility.

Olafur Eliasson, whose works are currently being presented in a
comprehensive overview exhibition at the MoMA and the P.S.1 in New
York, describes the debate relating to the hydrogen powered racing car in
context with his artistic ideas:

»By bringing together art, design, social and environmental issues, I hope
to contribute to a different way of thinking-feeling-experiencing cars and
seeing them in relation to the time and space in which we live.
Fundamentally speaking, I don't believe that objects exist in isolation. They
are always part of a complex set of physical and mental relationships; they
change according to the context and depend on the user's values and
expectations. They embrace relativity and the passing of time.«

Olafur Eliasson has removed the outer covering of the H2R prototype and
replaced it with a complex skin of two reflecting layers of superimposed
metal spanning the body of the car. This shape is covered with fragile
layers of ice. Thus Eliasson transforms an object of advanced automobile
technology and industrial design into a work of art reflecting themes of
mobility, temporality, renewable energies and the relationship between car
production and global warming in a sophisticated and poetic way.
»How do we give a tangible dimension to the fact that our engagement in
the world has global consequences? How can we as consumers and
creators of reality change the trajectory of transportation? Of moving? How
can we put pressure on the car as an object?«

As a work of art located in time, Olafur Eliasson's transformation of the
H2R-automobile is a design provocation that opens up debates about the
profound impact of art and design in their contemporary social setting.
»Traditional car design has defined the car as a desirable object, a fetish
almost, and a commodity, depriving it of its relationship to its surroundings
and to time. Car design has primarily focused on the most profitable way of
facilitating and mediating physical movement. We have to challenge this,
and I think the task is to reintroduce time as the key producer of our
experiences. Reality then becomes temporal reality. This reintroduction will
give us the possibility to perceive the car and the consequences of driving
in relation to our own bodies.«

To create and conserve the car's ice coating, the vehicle is stored in a
freezer. Over a period of several days Eliasson had the car's exposed
frame sprayed with some 2000 litres of water to gradually produce the
layers of ice. This sculpture, which is in constant interplay with the room
temperature surrounding it, is around 1.5 m high, 5.25 m long and 2.5 m
wide. The mono frequency light located inside the sculpture attracts the eye
to the interspace containing the icescape which is exposed to a continuous
melting and freezing process.

In Eliasson's sculptures and atmospherically unmistakable installations one
senses not only the conditions under which they come about and the
impact of their energy but also the beauty of natural phenomena. It is it not
until they enter the perceptions of the viewer that they complement each
other.

The exhibition is curated by Corinna Rösner and Bernhart Schwenk.

Presentation: chezweitz, Berlin / Detlef Weitz, Roseapple

An exhibition in close collaboration with BMW.

Lars Müller Publishers have published a 336-page comprehensive
publication accompanying the exhibition and documenting as an integral
part of the project the many discussions, interviews and the two »Life in
Space« symposiums. Dialogue partners during the »Your mobile
expectations: BMW H2R project« include Chris Bangle, Ib Chorkendorff,
Yona, Friedmann, Jens Hjorth, Adrian van Hooydonk, Caroline A. Jones,
Bart Lootsma, Ricardo Scofidio, Peter Weibel and Sabine Zemelka.
(Price: ca. € 34,90, ISBN 978-3-03778-117-3)

[Source: BMW, Design Boom]

FREMONT, Calif.—Oorja Protonics (Oorja), the San Francisco Bay Area based developer and manufacturer of ultra-powerful fuel cells, today announced its public launch and patented direct methanol fuel cell (DMFC) technology. Funded by venture capital firms Sequoia Capital and DAG Ventures, and led by fuel cell pioneer Sanjiv Malhotra, Oorja has been operating in stealth mode since 2005 and has been engaged in commercial testing and deployments of its technology through pilot programs with leading Fortune 50 customers.

Oorja's direct methanol fuel cells are novel in that they eliminate the barriers associated with hydrogen fuel cell adoption, namely the high price of compressed hydrogen gas, lack of hydrogen supply infrastructure, and hydrogen's inherent volatility as a fuel source. Methanol is a much better alternative to hydrogen fuel cells due to its low cost, ready availability, and greatly reduced volatility.

Oorja has been able to produce a reliable, affordable, and compact fuel cell that is ten to one hundred times more powerful than existing methanol fuel cells. Developed and designed as a self contained retrofit for material handling vehicles like pallet loaders, tuggers, and automated guided vehicles, Oorja's fuel cells serve as an on-board battery charger that continuously charges the batteries of these vehicles while they operate. Oorja is currently on its fifth generation of fuel cell technology and has been in development and in field evaluation since early 2005.

Founded by Sanjiv Malhotra, PhD, Oorja is poised to capture significant market share from the entrenched power technologies in the material handling industry, namely off-board battery charging with swapping and compressed gas. For more than ten years Dr. Malhotra has been at the forefront of commercial development of alternative power generation and storage technologies. Early in his career as a researcher at Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratories in Berkeley California, he worked on pioneering developments with Zinc-Air batteries. In addition to his technical skills, he went on to take H-Power, a leading fuel cell company, public in August of 2000 and was also a senior executive at another prominent fuel cell company DCH Technologies. Before founding Oorja he was a consultant with Kleiner Perkins Caufield & Byers where he assisted its venture partners with due diligence for energy related investment opportunities.

"Large distribution centers and manufacturing facilities can create substantial savings and improve productivity by using the OorjaPac™" said Sanjiv Malhotra, CEO and founder of Oorja. "The materials handling industry is an early adopter of technologies that later gain traction in mainstream consumer markets. For example, regenerative braking systems have been in use in the material handling industry for a number of years and have relatively recently begun finding their way into hybrid automobiles like the Toyota Prius. We are confident that Oorja's innovative on board charging technology represents a bold step forward and its adoption in the material handling industry is a key predictor of the role methanol fuel cell technology will play in other markets."

Oorja is funded by Sequoia Capital and DAG Ventures, and is representative of Sequoia's leadership in funding Bay Area cleantech ventures. Oorja's Board of Directors includes industry leaders in the technology and manufacturing space including:

* Pierre Lamond, Venture Capitalist at Sequoia Capital
* Gary Convis, Chairman of Toyota Motor Manufacturing, Kentucky, Inc. and former Executive Vice President of New United Motor Manufacturing
* John Cadeddu, Venture Capitalist at DAG Ventures
* Sean McKenna, Managing Partner at McKenna Management
* William Meehan, Senior Director of McKinsey and Company, Inc.
* Sanjiv Malhotra, Founder and CEO of Oorja Protonics

Additional information on Oorja can be found at http://www.oorjaprotonics.com/

About Oorja Protonics

Oorja designs, develops, and manufacturers the most powerful direct methanol fuel cells (DMFC) in the world. In development for three years and on its fifth generation of technology, Oorja's products are customer proven, reliable, affordable, and available today. Oorja's customers include Fortune 50 OEMs, retailers, automotive manufacturers, logistics providers, and food processing companies. Founded in 2005, Oorja is a privately held company and is backed by venture capital firms Sequoia Capital and DAG Ventures.

Built on the same basic architecture as the Aero8, the LifeCar is given a more futuristic art-deco look as well as a significant reduction in weight. By combining that low weight with high levels of hybridization, Morgan predict the LifeCar will have performance to match a sports car while achieving a 200-mile fuel range.

Charles Morgan, the company's Strategy Director, told CarBodyDesign, "The real challenge is to design and build a car that is fun to drive - a proper sports car. The use of ultra capacitors to store the surplus energy and then use this for acceleration and braking does promise a dynamic ride, especially when combined with our ultra light chassis. The pairing of weight to a minimum is our strength, and allows a much smaller fuel cell than conventionally thought necessary. This gives energy and yet more weight savings." [Via CarBodyDesign]

Morgan will debut the car at the Geneva Motor Show in March.

Cruise on over to Gizmodo if you want to see more pictures of this naked concept. Cruise over to Fleshbot for naked everything else. [Gizmodo]

Whereas batteries are a chemically based storage medium subject to longish charging times, ultracapacitors can charge and discharge much more expediently. So here you have the fuel cell acting as a power source, the ultracapacitor acting as an electric load manager, and the battery as the storage medium for overflow. All that high tech is good for a range of about 150 miles at a breathtaking 55 miles per hour. While we'll sit on out hands and wait for the beta model, but that's still impressive for a roadworthy vehicle, even if it costs $190,000. [Yahoo! Finance]

Horizon built on its expertise in small-size fuel cell power systems to create a unique hydrogen fuel cell upgrade kit called the H-cell, designed for well-known battery powered model RC hobby cars you can buy in your local hobby store.

Designed to fit into the original 7.2V NiCad battery slot located on Tamiya TT-01 car chassis, the fuel cell power unit is designed as a futuristic power source using light emitting air cooling fans.

The new power source combines an ultra-compact air-cooled PEM fuel cell system with a scaled down fuel storage unit that includes a rack of 3 metal hydride canisters each including 10 liters of solid-state (low pressure) hydrogen gas. [Horizon Fuel Cell]

The technology behind the Clarity is basically a flashback to tenth-grade chemistry. Tank-stored gaseous hydrogen is pumped into the "stack," which consists of layer upon layer of fuel cells. Inside each cell, hydrogen gas reacts with a hydrogen electrode, causing a catalytic reaction that ionizes the hydrogen atom (electricity is of course nothing but flowing electrons). The electron-less atom (ion) next bonds with oxygen to create water, which recirculates through the stack to keep the electrolytic membranes damp, before exiting the vehicle through the tail pipe. In turn, the fuel cell stack powers an electric motor, which drives the front wheels. There is also an auxiliary lithium ion battery to store extra juice created by the stack, the motor (which behaves like a generator when decelerating) and additional energy gathered from the regenerative braking system. The battery is used during start-up or to assist the engine if the demands of the right foot exceed the power output of the stack. See? Piece of sugar-free cake.

As intense and complicated as all that sounds, you'd never suspect the FCX Clarity was anything but a run-of-the-mill Honda. While some have complained that it looks like a Hondaized Prius, the Clarity is so large as to mitigate that comparison. I maintain it looks like an elongated Accord with Infiniti G Coupe haunches, a chopped front end and a chrome new-gen Volkswagen beard. Sure, it's a little longer than the Hondas we're used to, but that's the price paid for having a fuel tank that can store enough hydrogen for a 270-mile journey while ensuring plenty of back seat legroom and a real trunk. The Clarity is also a bit wider than most Japanese mid-size family sedans because the stack is nestled between the front seats. Hey, you have plenty of elbow room.

The interior is extremely comfortable, nearly luxurious and made from all sorts of high-tech green materials, like corn. The instrument panel is similar to the current Civic but manages to crank up the Fisher-Price-meets-Buck-Rogers chic. For example, a small blue circle appears in the center of the digital dash when the Clarity is "idling." During acceleration the ball grows larger and turns green. Really stand on the go pedal and the ball morphs into a glowing-orange sun. The backseats are especially spacious. There's plenty of legroom, and the door panels are scooped out, giving the back compartment a circular feel.

Our drive started at the ritzy Fairmont Mira Mar Hotel on Ocean Drive in Santa Monica, where Autoblog Sam turned north onto Pacific Coast Highway and wound his way through Malibu and that city's recently charred canyons. I looped us back. While dealing with stop-and-go traffic in Malibu, we were surrounded on all sides by Hybrids. Every fifth car seemed to be a Prius. At one point we even found ourselves behind a Ford Escape Hybrid with a license plate that read, "NO HUMMR." I was reminded of Star Trek IV when Kirk and the boyz warp back to the year 1986 and Bones finds a woman hooked up to a kidney dialysis machine. He feeds her some pills made from super futuristic technology, unhooks her from the apparatus and declares the then contemporary state of medicine, "Barbaric." All around us people were driving vehicles that in their minds are atop the environmental food chain. Yet they're still emitting loads of dirty old carbon dioxide (and whatever else) into the atmosphere derived from a tank full of Middle Eastern crude. Meanwhile we're zooming past all of 'em, dripping only water while nestled comfortably behind the wheel of the future.

Malibu, California

Naysayers, Ron Paultards, the blindly patriotic and those not convinced that human activity is cooking our globe will all roll their eyes and dismiss the FCX Clarity as nothing but vaporware. A passing fad. A cynical gesture by Honda aimed at appeasing "environmental nazis," CAFE standards and nothing else. All that's fine, as people said similar things about Henry Ford's Model T. But even if you hate Al Gore and despise Ed Begley Jr., there's no way $100 for a barrel of oil (up from under $60 one year ago) makes you happy. Something has to give, and give in a big way.

Ford Model T

Coincidently, 2008 marks 100 years since Ford put America on wheels by rolling out the Model T. It's also the year Honda will begin leasing FCX Clarity models (and their home-based, natural gas powered hydrogen refueling stations) to select customers around Southern California and in Japan. Yes, the natural gas emits CO2, but only half as much as petroleum. More important, tank-to-wheel energy efficiency is more than double that of Honda's existing hybrids, and three times that of their small internal combustion cars like the Fit. And remember, if the hydrogen is created using green energy — solar, wind, geo-thermal, hydro or atomic — there are no greenhouse emissions whatsoever.

At this point you probably want to know how fast the FCX Clarity accelerates, its top speed and how many Gs it pulls around corners. Well, Honda didn't bother to say much about the Clarity's performance other than it's comparable to a "2.4-liter internal combustion vehicle of similar size." So, we have to guesstimate. As the 100 kW (136 hp) electric motor creates 189 ft-lb of torque from zero rpm, zero-to-60 times are most likely in the low seven-second range. Never forget that Americans buy horsepower and drive torque. Top speed is limited to 100 mph. Much more impressive is how effortlessly the Clarity cruises. At one point the speedo indicated 53 mph and I was convinced I'd accidentally switched the display to metric. A moment later we passed one of those police "your speed is" contraptions that indicated 53 good old American miles per hour. The ride, helped out by the long wheelbase, is outstanding. The Clarity weighs in at 3582 lbs. A four-cylinder Accord weighs 3,433 lbs. and the V6 model weighs 3600 lbs. Going around a corner, you'd be hard pressed to detect a difference between the three. But performance is hardly the point.

Honda FCX Engineers and their Baby

Every year I go to New York to watch the Packers play the Vikings. We watch the game at your typical sports bar with a dozen or so TVs hanging from the walls. One year a Giants or Jets game finished up early and the local station switched over to the Green Bay/Minnesota game we had until then been watching on Satellite. However, the local channel's feed was about ten seconds ahead of the satellite. "Turn it off! Turn it off!" one of the more colorful patrons began screaming, "Turn that fuckin' TV off!" We tried to reason with him, explaining that it doesn't matter if one feed is ten seconds in front of the other. "No way man," he shot back, "That's the future!"

Climbing out of the FCX Clarity and back into my own car, I couldn't help but feel the same. Sitting in the world's most heinous traffic surrounded by millions of my fellow Angelenos all burning countless zillion gallons of gasoline, how on earth is all this going to change? Where's the hydrogen infrastructure going to come from, if it comes at all? I don't know. Honda is going to stick a few refueling stations in and around Los Angeles along an already existing hydrogen pipeline (common in industrialized areas) but obviously that's not enough. Their home energy station is pretty damn useless if you live in an apartment. And the $600 per month lease is no friend to most of us. Honda (and Ford and Toyota and GM and every manufacturer investing in fuel cell technology) has a real chicken-and-egg situation on their hands. Fortunately the Honda FCX Clarity is one hell of a chicken.