Honda Motor Co. Inc. (Tokyo) announced an agreement with the City of Los Angeles to make it the first US retail customer for a fuel cell car. Under the agreement, Los Angeles employees will immediately begin a familiarization program with prototype versions of the Honda FCX. Los Angeles City will take delivery of the first of five production vehicles before the end of 2002.
Los Angeles City employees will use the vehicles on the job as regular pool cars and for commuting. Los Angeles City and Honda are finalizing plans on refueling support systems to supply hydrogen fuel for the vehicles. Honda plans to lease about 30 fuel cell cars in California and Japan during the next two to three years. The company currently has no plans, however, for mass-market sales of fuel cell vehicles or sales to individuals.
