SPY PICS: 2024 Honda CR-V hydrogen car hits the road
Fuel-cell electric version of new-generation Honda CR-V mid-size SUV spotted testing in CaliforniaThe hydrogen-powered 2024 Honda CR-V fuel-cell electric vehicle (FCEV) has been spotted testing on Californian roads ahead of its global reveal next year.
Caught wearing busy white camouflage, the Honda CR-V FCEV has a different front-end to the regular petrol and hybrid versions, with a largely enclosed grille between the familiar headlights.
The new CR-V FCEV’s development was announced by Honda’s American division exactly a year ago, when it was also confirmed that the zero-emissions mid-size SUV would be produced at the Performance Manufacturing Centre in Ohio – the same facility that built the Honda NSX supercar.
Details of the latest powertrain remain under wraps, but the new-generation fuel-cell stack is believed to have been developed jointly with General Motors.
It’s said to be more durable and perform better at low temperatures than the system found in the most recent Honda Clarity Fuel Cell.
Honda has also previously said that the CR-V FCEV would feature a lithium-ion battery pack that can be plugged in and recharged, making it the first fuel-cell car in North America to adopt a plug-in feature for EV driving.
This is a key benefit when hydrogen refuelling infrastructure is limited, even in California – one of the world’s biggest FCEV markets.
Vehicle-to-load (V2L) capability has also been previously confirmed for the new CR-V FCEV.
Together with Toyota and Hyundai, Honda is one of the few global manufacturers still investing heavily in hydrogen vehicles.
The company has been developing them for more than two decades, with the 2002 FCX standing as the world’s first series-production FCEV – it was sold in the US and Japan – and the subsequent 2008 FCX Clarity being the first dedicated fuel-cell car built on a production line made specifically for FCEVs.
Honda has been working on fuel-cell systems with GM since 2017.
There are no plans at this stage for Honda Australia to follow Toyota and Hyundai’s lead in offering FCEVs on lease deals to companies in a bid to push the case for hydrogen cars Down Under.
Image source: Automedia
Related: 2024 Honda CR-V ute rendered
Related: Best smelling interiors from carsales Car of the Year 2023 ranked
Related: carsales Car of the Year 2023 finalists announced
Related: Honda CR-V 2023 Review
Related: Deal hunter: Seven-year warranty for outbound Honda CR-V
Related: New Honda CR-V here in September
Join the conversation at
Or email us at
Or email us at
Please see our Editorial Guidelines & Code of Ethics (including for more information about sponsored content and paid events). The information published on this website is of a general nature only and doesn’t consider your particular circumstances or needs.
