Honda Cars : Honda, Toyota, Nissan and Hyundai sign MoU for Nordic introduction of fuel cell electric vehicles | 2013 New Honda Car Reviews 0

by Danny Tan

Last week, Honda, Toyota, Nissan and Hyundai signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with organisations from the Nordic countries to support the market introduction of fuel cell electric vehicles (FCEVs) and hydrogen refuelling infrastructure between 2014 and 2017.

Besides the carmakers, the signing organisations wre hydrogen infrastructure companies HyOP AS (Norway); H2 Logic A/S (Denmark); Copenhagen Hydrogen Network A/S (Denmark) and Nordic NGOs HyNor Norway; Hydrogen Sweden; Icelandic New Energy; Hydrogen Link Denmark Association and Scandinavian Hydrogen Highway Partnership (SHHP).

This collaboration follows last month’s announcement by Honda CEO Takanobu Ito of the company’s development of an all-new FCEV for Japan, USA and Europe, to be launched from 2015. It also comes off the back of a month-long and high profile Europe Hydrogen Vehicle Road Tour, organised by H2 Moves Scandanavia. The tour had an event at the UK’s first public-access hydrogen refuelling station based at Honda’s Swindon base.

“In 2002 Honda became the world’s first carmaker to put a fuel cell car on the road with regular customers, delivering the Honda FCX Clarity to fleet users in the United States and Japan. We want to continue to lead the way for fuel cell technology across the world including Europe. This MoU signifies that commitment,” said Ken Kier, Executive VP of Honda Motor Europe.

Hyundai also has such a car, the ix35 FCEV, which has fuel cell tech in a Tucson body.

Source;
 http://paultan.org/2012/10/15/honda-toyota-nissan-and-hyundai-sign-mou-for-nordic-introduction-of-fuel-cell-electric-vehicles/

Honda Cars : Nissan Terra FCEV ConceptNissan Terra FCEV Crossover Previewed Ahead of Paris Motor Show Debut | 2013 New Honda Car Reviews 0

Nissan Terra FCEV Crossover Previewed Ahead of Paris Motor Show Debut

by Ben Timmins of www.motortrend.com

Nissan has revealed details about a Paris Motor Show concept that combines the style of a Juke, the running gear from the Leaf and Pivo, and seats at least partially inspired by the McLaren F1. It's called the Terra, a fuel-cell-powered crossover.

Nissan is previewing the Terra before its Paris Motor Show reveal later this month, suggesting that it represents the next generation of Nissan fuel cell vehicles. The car, which is about 1-2 inches larger than the current Nissan Juke in every exterior dimension, is powered by a hydrogen fuel cell stack, which generates electricity for a driveline essentially ripped straight from the battery-electric Nissan Leaf. But to give the Terra off-road (or all-weather) chops, Nissan installed an in-wheel motor in each of the rear wheels, making the Terra an all-wheel-drive vehicle. As with all in-wheel motor setups, giving the Terra torque vectoring - like what's offered in the all-wheel drive Juke -- is as simple as sending a little more electricityto an outside wheel motor in a corner.

Nissan also says that the in-wheel motors allow the Terra to have powered rear wheels with a completely flat floor. That flat floor should come in handy, as Nissan envisioned the Terra as something of an urban/suburban runabout, a car that can handle all-weather situations but isn't intended for true off-roading. Still, the flat floor and hatchback should make it easy to carry things like bikes or kayaks.

On the inside, the Terra is typical concept car flight of fancy, boasting both an unusual seating configuration and futuristic driver controls. The front seats are mounted front and center, while the rear seats face forward but are placed more outboard, allowing the passengers to have a unique - and largely unobstructed -- forward view. Instead of using keys or remotes, the Terra is controlled by an iPad-like tablet, which turns the car on when once driver docks it behind the steering wheel.

Conceptual touches aside, the Terra does represent some realistic strides towards commercializing hydrogen fuel-cell vehicles. Nissan claims that its new hydrogen fuel cell setup costs some 83 percent less than before, mostly because engineers quartered the amount of precious metals used in the system. The in-wheel motors are updated versions of the ones already used on the Pivo concepts (there have been three so far).

Source;
http://www.motortrend.com/auto_shows/paris/2012/1209_2012_paris_nissan_terra_fcev_crossover/