General Motors Co. (GM) and Honda Motor Co. (HMC) have announced a new 50-50 joint venture, Fuel Cell System Manufacturing (FCSM), to produce hydrogen fuel cells at a facility in Michigan. This collaboration marks a significant step in the competition for the new generation of hydrogen engines, with the aim of meeting the growing demand for hydrogen fuel cell technology. Tetsuo Suzuki, Vice President of FCSM, expressed the organization's readiness to meet customer needs in the emerging hydrogen era and future applications of fuel cell technology. The establishment of FCSM involved an $85 million investment by Honda and GM in January 2017, creating around 80 jobs at the 70,000-square-foot facility. The hydrogen fuel cell system being developed by the joint venture promises increased performance, double durability, and significantly reduced manufacturing costs compared to previous iterations. Honda projects that the new system will cost one-third as much as its predecessor, the Clarity, while satisfying a growing number of zero-emission energy and mobility requirements.
The new hydrogen system is slated for installation in the Ohio-built CR-V, set to launch in Japan and North America in 2024. Notably, the hydrogen Honda SUV will also feature plug-in functionality, enhancing convenience in areas with limited hydrogen refueling infrastructure.
Honda aims to sell 2,000 units annually of the new hydrogen system by the mid-2020s, with plans to increase sales to 60,000 units annually by 2030. Additionally, the company is targeting over 4 million annual sales in the electric motorcycle market by 2030, with the introduction of more than 10 electric motorcycle models globally by 2025. Beyond passenger vehicles, Honda envisions deploying hydrogen power units in various applications, including large trucks, stationary power plants, and construction equipment. The company also sees potential applications in space exploration, facilitating the production of energy and breathable air in space. While Honda and GM have been at the forefront of hydrogen technology development, other automakers such as Toyota, BMW, and Hyundai are also investing in hydrogen engines, indicating a collective belief in hydrogen's role in the future of automotive energy.
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