Japan, South Korea, China and Europe are now all putting in hydrogen stations to provide fuelling for long range BEV trucks, so unlike previously fuel cell cars can piggyback on existing infrastructure.

I am not clear what is happening in the US.

' With a 270-mile EPA driving range rating, CR-V e:FCEV combines an all-new US-made fuel cell system along with plug-in charging capability designed to provide up to 29 miles of EV driving around town with the flexibility of fast hydrogen refueling for longer trips. The vehicle has a 17.7 kWh battery pack.'

Which makes criticisms centred on the 'fuel inefficiency' of hydrogen compared to batteries moot, as for everyday running around batteries will do the job anyway, and we have been told umpteen times that most runs are modest, and the battery in an FCEV is not subject to losses and low range due to the cold, as the fuel cell waste heat keeps it at optimum temperature.

On the other hand, when you have a long run provided there are hydrogen fuelling stations it is way more flexible than a BEV, with refills taking comparable times to gas cars.

' For additional convenience, the included Honda Power Supply Connector utilizes a 110-volt power outlet that can deliver up to 1,500 watts of power, turning CR-V e:FCEV into a clean power source capable of running small home appliances, portable air conditioners, power tools, camping equipment, and more.'

In earthquake and fire prone areas, more than handy.

I'd like to see a truck version.
Those of us who have done construction know how useful that would be.

It will be fascinating to see how this fares in the marketplace.

The upside of this PHEV FCV as Davemart and Rover Pham have pointed out many times in these comments, is that it reduces dependency on the limited H2 refueling infrastructure by extending the H2 refuel interval. Also reduces the annual cost of H2 significantly if plugged in daily, possibly even at both home and work.

But the long distance travel will be limited in CA to north-south corridors, nixing any eastern travel from the coast, such as the popular destinations of Las Vegas, Phoenix, or Lake Tahoe/Reno.

So unless you have a proscribed driving pattern, or a second car for trips, the audience for this vehicle will be limited to folks really enthusiastic about H2.

Getting this vehicle to market at a competitive price will be even more challenging. EVs with 320+ miles are selling under $50k, a few can be had for the low $40s. They are far more convenient to fuel than FCVs, even on north-south trips in CA, since the electric refueling infrastructure is practically everywhere except deep in the forest in the Sierras or Redwoods.

Even the lodge in Yosemite Valley has EV charging.

The Plug-in FCV (PFCV) would enable the H2-filling infrastructure throughout the entire USA in a heart beat, as well as rapidly promote the growth of Renewable Energy. Here's how:

1.. With enough daily driving range on electricity, the PFCV would need H2-fill-up only once a month. This would allow stations to be as far away from home as 20 miles. A large metroplex in the USA have radius no more than 20 miles from the center. This would means only ONE centrally-placed H2 filling station would be needed per even large metroplexes such as Los Angeles, San Francisco, Dallas-Ft Worth, Washington DC, Seatle, Miami, etc...
83% of USA population live in over 300 metroplexes like above.
There would need have ONLY 400 H2 filling stations for the entire USA to permit coast-to-coast traveling, with distances between metroplexes under 250 miles.
At $1M to $2M cost per H2-filling stations, the total cost would be UNDER $1Billion USD to enable H2 driving for the entire urban USA population. This is FAR LOWER than what the $7.5 Billion the Biden Adm paid for the US EV charging infrastructure.

2.. Most interstate and intrastate freeways converge at the center of the metroplex, and that would be where one would place the ONLY, the SINGLE H2 filling station for the entire metroplex. Before embarking on a long-distance trip, one will just have to fill-up with H2 at the center of the metroplex.

The H2-filling station can be a mobile one, with H2 dispensers built-in to the H2 carrier truck. The trucks will carry H2 made from solar and wind farms at the periphery of the metroplex into the center of the metroplex, and parked there for car to re-fuel. When one H2-filling truck is near-empty, another truck will arrive to replace the empty H2 truck.
These H2-refueling trucks are made in factories where automation can drastically reduce construction costs, so the cost per H2 stations will be far lower than the $1M to $2M price tag quoted right now. Multiple number of trucks will constantly be used to for PFCV refueling and for transporting the H2 from the Solar and Wind farms to the center of the metroplex, in order to ensure the reliability of the H2 stations, because there will be only ONE H2 refueling station per metroplex.

3.. There have been concerns that people who own PHEVs do not plug-in their vehicle as often as they should, and this PFCV would address this issue, by being much more convenient to plug-in daily, or twice daily, than having to drive some distance to the H2-station for filling up. Plug-in or not, the emission benefit will still be there when using 100% Green H2.

4.. In time, there will be many MORE H2-filling stations per metroplex than the ONLY ONE station in the initial stage. Through large-scale utilization and mass production, Green H2 when sourced from local Solar and Wind energy will be cheap at the pump. This would enable more H2 utilization for driving or for supplying power to the grid during periods of low Solar and Wind energy supply or periods of very high grid power demand, to ease the burden from the grid. So, PFCV charging from the grid will be done ONLY when there will be a grid-surplus of Solar and Wind energy. So, the PFCV if used in this way, is capable of running on 100% Renewable Energy as well as help backing up the grid during periods of high power demand... and thus will greatly help boost Renewable Energy growth.

Roger,

I'm not convinced that you could build a public toilet in valuable downtown real estate for a million dollars, let alone a H2 refueling station with enough parking for dozens (or hundreds) of cars waiting their turn. I also don't know why drivers would want to take an hour-long trip downtown during rush hour for the privilege of paying more for "liquid electricity" that's available in its original form at home.

Your scenario might make some sense for long-haul trucking, where you can build outside of populated areas and battery solutions aren't available yet, but as a consumer why would you want to pay a lot more more money for a lot less convenience? You can already drive coast-to-coast in the US with an EV, it's not an unusual thing to do. Most drivers don't really mind that their "fuel stops" last 30 minutes instead of 10, since they can eat and go to the bathroom during these 30 minutes. Most states don't allow you to refuel unattended, so liquid fueling often takes longer than EV charging.

@BBernard,
A skeletal number of H2 mobile stations of just 1 per metroplex is just the beginning. Soon, moer will come, to every neighborhood. Using the H2 carrier truck that can dispense H2 as well, a H2 station can be placed instantly at the parking lot of any department stores or any business. At the solar and wind farms, the H2 trailer tankers can serve as storage tanks to get stuffed with H2 as it is being produced. Do you see the economics of this scheme? Very economical and most cost-effective investment to ensure that H2 stations will pop up all around the city, everywherem selling dirt-cheap H2. Who needs pure BEV with the humongous battery pack?

@Bernard,
With a Plug-in H2 car, you can fast charge it at a fast charging station in about 15 minutes to drive 40 miles. You only neeed H2 about once a month on a leisure trip during off hours. That is for the beginning. Soon, H2 will be dirt-cheap and be available everywhere, so why not own and enjoy a Plug-in H2 car?

ECI said:

' Imagine being a VW exec and ceding that ground to Tesla'

VW executives don't have to imagine that, that is the reality they have lived with for years,

And not just to Tesla, but to Toyota who, as a mass manufacturer kept their eye on what people can actually afford aroung the world, and what the availability of reliable charging actually is in most places and countries, and consequently did not go all in on premature shift to batteries, which may be fine for a premium supplier like Tesla, but is WAY too expensive for most folk.

And now, with cars like the BYD Seagull from China, which is a modest all electric car, the folly of VW management is going to become even more clear.

Roger as always I enjoy your comments, thanks.