Despite repeated claims that 2015 would be the "year of Honda," Honda's press event only big reveals were a couple of claims that they'd have an all-new, all-electric vehicle by 2018, along with a plug-in hybrid the same year. We did get to see their FCV Concept in person for the first time in North America, so that's something.
The FCV Concept was first seen last November, but this is its first time in the United Freestates of Freedeomerica, and it does have presence in person. Honda's big achievement is that they've reduced the size of their fuel cell stack by 33%, which allows it to fit entirely in the engine compartment and frees up a lot of interior room. The concept is said to have seating for five, and does look much roomier than previous Honda Hydrogen Fuel Cell vehicles.
The FCV Concept is an early look at a production version promised for release in Japan in March 2016, and making its way to the US shortly thereafter. If it's anything like Honda's previous fuel cell vehicles, like the FCV Clarity, you'll probably have a better chance of seeing a Quaker unicorn than a Honda FCV, since they're only leased in small quantities in California.
Still, having driven a couple of fuel cell vehicles, they're not bad at all, and they do refuel far faster than you can recharge an electric car. Of course, the infrastructure's not remotely mature yet, but Honda is hoping to push that further along by giving FirstElement Fuel about $14 million dollars to build more hydrogen fuel stations.
Continuing with their 'say stuff and not really show anything plan,' Honda also announced taht they'd have a new turbo VTEC engine by the end of 2015, built in their Ohio plant. No specs on teh engine were given, but it has been used in at least one Civic Type R prototype in Japan, so we can be hopeful this will be a fun little mill.
Honda also talked about their exciting HondaJet (which I hope to cover in detail soon), and I think maybe someone pointed to a row of lawnmowers and portable generators and marveled at all the amazing different kinds of crap Honda makes. Which, to be fair, is impressive.
So, based on what Honda had to say and show, I guess we can wait until really late 2015 or sometime in 2018 to decide if 2015 was actually the "Year of Honda." Maybe 2018 will be the 2015 Year Of Honda. Why do PR people still write crap like that?