Ramblings on the Auto Industry

I’m newly re-subscribed to Car and Driver Magazine after no less than a five-year hiatus. Call it lack of time. Call it lack of funds. Whatever my reason, as much as I enjoy the fine automotive journalism contained between those hallowed covers, I only took this offer because it was a freebie. (I’m good at getting those it seems…and that’s just car magazines…you should see what I save on my car insurance!) Ok, so anyway, in the June 2009 C&D, the last page features “This Car and Driver,” and contains a brief interview with one of California’s privileged testers of the Honda Clarity.

The Clarity is Honda’s first limited-production hydrogen-powered sedan. It reminds me of a Civic, or perhaps the new Insight (hybrid). To be one of Honda’s guinea pigs, the driver ponies up $600 a month / 36 months on a no-negotiations lease.

It’s encouraging to hear this leasee likes his vehicle and has positive things to say about it thus far. I think hydrogen may very well be the fuel of the future, as opposed to faux-green cars called hybrids (see what I have to say about them here) that don't eliminate petrol entirely. Does hydrogen have safety concerns? Sure. Are there bugs to be ironed out? Plenty. But Honda’s elemental insight into this pilot project shows that the company is looking toward cars of the future.

Ten years ago I remember reading about a Chrysler-developed hydrogen prototype in Automobile Magazine. What ever became of that? Perhaps if American auto companies had stayed more focused on projects like that one, or GM’s EV1, they would be ahead of the game, instead of living on tax-payer funds. Rather than criticize Japanese competition, perhaps Detroit needs to learn from the Japanese model: Anticipating the cars of the future and preparing accordingly in the present.

Anyway, to be fair, GM is developing a hydrogen Chevy Equinox, first seen by me at the Buffalo Auto Show this past February: