The Honda Clarity at first sight looks like a Honda Accord modified for 2022.
Sized very much like a next-next generation sedan, the cabin looks different from the usual concept car. One noteworthy point about this car is that it relies on hydrogen fuel for its movement. This is actually what makes the Honda’s latest offering not one of present day low volume science projects.
When you sit behind the wheel of the Honda Clarity, you realize that the accelerator performs just like it would in an electric car to provide the four-phase drive. Also, everything like the brakes and steering wheel, as well as how you handle the vehicle remind you very much of the old Accord. The car has five seats with fairly prominent bulges to conceal the different powertrain components. However, being a hydrogen fuel car, the engine design is quite different as can be expected. The normal gas engine is replaced by a range of fuel cells stacked together and packed inside a metal casing that is approximately the same size as that of a desktop computer. The electricity needed to get the Clarity in motion is generated here by combining the hydrogen and oxygen together.
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Another major change is with respect to how the componentry has been positioned in the Honda Clarity. What was located in under the hood earlier has been placed at a right angle in the manufacturer’s new four wheeler. This allows the fuel cell to be placed more compactly in a horizontal position compared to the vertical position in the earlier vehicles. However, the lithium-ion battery pack continues to be under the front seats as in older Honda vehicles. The inclusion of an extra seat to accommodate five passengers instead of four as in the other Honda and earlier Clarity model is another striking point of differentiation. Although the hydrogen tank has been made smaller in size, the hydrogen compression rate has been increased to double the original 5,000 psi.
The turbo air compressor that is serves as the source of oxygen for the fuel cell. On road, the Honda Clarity feels very much like a premium vehicle. When you press the Sport button, regenerative braking gets enhanced and the cabin proves to be very quiet with the feeling of high quality interiors because of the tastefully designed open-pore wood trim.