At Grove Fuel Cell Symposium, Honda received the prestigious Grove Medal in recognition of the FCX Clarity hydrogen fuel cell electric vehicle. The FCX Clarity is a practical car with room for four people and luggage and it is ready for use on the road. Significantly, it has 2-3 times better fuel economy than its petrol equivalent and 1.5 times that of a petrol-electric hybrid. In addition to this excellent fuel economy the FCX Clarity produces no harmful gases, its only emission is water.
The award was accepted by Yuji Kawaguchi, Managing Director of Honda R&D Ltd. On accepting the award he commented; “We are honored to accept this medal. At Honda we believe that the automobile holds the potential for limitless dreams and excitement in the future. The FCX Clarity represents the beginning of that future. We hope you will continue to look to Honda with anticipation and we will continue to strive to become a company that society wants to exist.”
Honda was chosen for the award by the Grove Symposium Steering Committee. Each individual Committee member proposes one or more possible candidates for the Medal. They must write a supporting case detailing the scientific breakthrough and innovation of the particular development and its importance for the fuel cell industry. They also consider other developments or breakthroughs carried out by the individual or company and their ongoing commitment to fuel cells.
The candidates are then discussed in turn in the following Committee meeting and a vote is taken. A clear majority is required to award the medal. Honda’s FCX Clarity scored very highly in all categories.
The Grove Committee made the following comments regarding Honda’s achievement: “Honda’s commitment to fuel cells has been evident for a long time. The FCX Clarity shows not only scientific breakthrough but also styling that has captured the public imagination, and Honda’s move to small-scale automated production marks a watershed in the introduction of fuel cell vehicles. The Grove Committee was unanimous in its choice and is delighted to present this year’s medal to Honda.”
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