Torrance, Calif. 05/14/2003 -- The Honda FCX, the first and only fuel cell vehicle certified by the EPA and CARB for regular commercial use, will participate in a "Rally Thru the Valley" run from Sacramento to Los Angeles, California, on May 14-16. The hydrogen-powered zero-emission FCX will be featured in public ride-and-drives, street fair displays, and sessions with local government officials and community leaders, along with vehicles from other automaker members of the California Fuel Cell Partnership.

"This rally through one of the state's most-polluted areas will give the public a glimpse at future technology that will help to alleviate air quality problems in the future," said Ben Knight, vice president of Honda R&D Americas.

Recently, Honda was the first automaker to introduce the EPA certified, zero emission vehicle, the Honda FCX, now being leased by the City of Los Angeles. That vehicle, the first of five the city intends to put into service, is used on a daily basis like any other pool vehicle in the city fleet.

Honda plans to lease about 30 fuel cell cars in California and Japan during the next two to three years.

With 80 horsepower and 201 foot-pounds of torque, the FCX offers strong acceleration in city traffic. Power is supplied by a fuel cell that takes in gaseous hydrogen and produces electricity to drive the vehicle's electric motor. The only byproducts are water vapor. The FCX offers seating for four and has an EPA estimated range of 170 miles, making it practical for a wide range of real-world applications.

Honda launched its fuel cell research program in 1989 and began road testing fuel cell vehicles in the United States a decade later. Honda has been a member of the Sacramento, California-based California Fuel Cell Partnership since 1999.

Further details on the "Rally Thru the Valley" and the California Fuel Cell Partnership are available at www.cafcp.org.

http://www.cafcp.org