2021 Honda Clarity Fuel Cell

Like it or not, the automotive world is going electric. Everything from hatchbacks to semi-trucks are ditching fossil fuels to focus on battery power, but there are differing opinions on how to cut our dependence on liquid dinosaurs. While battery EVs are the prime movers in overtaking gas-powered cars, a few manufacturers are taking an alternate route. Hydrogen Fuel Cell EVs generate electricity by harnessing the electrons in this powerful element. Honda, Hyundai and Toyota all offer FCEV models you can buy or lease today. Honda’s is the Clarity Fuel-Cell.

The Clarity Fuel Cell is a four-door compact car about the size of Honda’s more conventional Insight Hybrid. It’s spaceship styling isn’t to everyone’s taste but it certainly stands out on the road. To keep the unit cost of building such a specialized vehicle relatively low, Honda also designed battery electric (BEV) and plug-in hybrid versions of the Clarity, though the BEV was discontinued in 2020. This past summer, the automaker also announced that the FCEV will end production this year, so if you want one, act fast.

Fully fueled, the Clarity Fuel Cell will return up to 360 miles of range on a tank of Hydrogen and produce only water vapor as emissions. That’s impressive, but there’s a big downside to fuel-cell vehicles: the lack of filling station infrastructure. Outside of California, only Connecticut and Hawaii have hydrogen stations, and only one a piece. That makes using the Clarity Fuel Cell difficult outside of a network of stations in the Golden State, so Honda only makes this version of the car available there, and only for lease.

Like its competitors, the Hyundai Nexo and Toyota Mirai, the Clarity Fuel Cell is a tough sell. Among the three, it also offers the least discernable advantage over a comparable BEV or PHEV.

Honda Clarity Fuel Cell Performance

The Clarity is powered by an electric motor that generates 174 horsepower and 221 pound-feet of torque. The motor draws its power from a 33-liter hydrogen fuel cell that weighs 114 pounds. Power hits the front wheels through a single-speed direct-drive transmission, just like in a regular electric car. Though its power source may seem alien, the Clarity’s driving experience will be immediately familiar to anyone with experience driving electric vehicles. Power delivery is quiet and smooth, and the car benefits from off-the-line torque that its electric motor generates. That said, there’s not much grunt once the Clarity is in motion, meaning highway passing takes some advanced planning.

Honda Clarity Fuel Cell Fuel Economy

Refueling the hydrogen fuel cell can cost up to $100, but Honda will foot the bill for up to $15,000 in fuel over the course of the lease. The Clarity Fuel Cell’s range extends to 360 miles per tank, which equates to 68 MPGe combined, according to Honda. Unlike a traditional electric vehicle, where owners need to find a charger, plug in and wait, hydrogen fuel cell cars fill up in a process much closer to that of internal combustion engine cars. Fuel cell cars also have batteries, but they exist only to store excess energy until its needed by the car.

Honda Clarity Fuel Cell Comfort, Convenience, and Cargo Space

Despite its remarkable powertrain, the Clarity’s interior is remarkably normal. Its front seats are spacious and nicely padded, with 39.1 inches of headroom and 42.2 inches of legroom up front. The cabin layout is functional and intuitive, and all controls are within easy reach of the driver. Back-seat passengers see 37.1 inches of headroom and 36.7 inches of headroom, making the space a little tight for taller adults. Kids in booster seats will be fine, but the Clarity’s sloping roofline can make loading rear-facing car seats a real pain.

Thanks to the size of its fuel cell, the Clarity only manages 11.8 cubic feet of trunk space. The seats don’t fold, either, which further limits the car’s utility.

Honda Clarity Fuel Cell Safety

The 2021 Honda Clarity Fuel Cell hasn’t been crash-tested by either major ratings agency, but Honda throws the kitchen sink at the car when it comes to standard safety equipment. Features include a low-speed acoustic-alert system, forward collision warnings, lane departure warnings, collision mitigation braking, road departure mitigation, a head-up display, lane keeping, adaptive cruise control and Honda LaneWatch, which displays a blind-spot camera view in the gauge cluster.