Los Angeles Leases Hydrogen-Fuel-Cell Car from Honda

Mayor James Hahn accepted the keys to a shiny new Honda on Monday — the nation’s first no-emissions, hydrogen-fuel-cell car that the city will lease as part of a two-year agreement.

Los Angeles Daily News, Mariel Garza

The city will pay $500 a month per vehicle to lease five Honda FCXs, a fuel-cell car that runs on hydrogen, spits out water vapor as its exhaust and has a range of about 170 miles per fill-up. The price includes fueling at one of the city’s downtown facilities provided by Pennsylvania-based Air Products and Chemicals.

"Los Angeles again is taking the lead in protecting the environment," Hahn said, referencing the hundreds of other alternatively fueled city vehicles putting around Los Angeles. "We remain committed to improving the air quality in the city."

A chemical reaction between hydrogen and oxygen generates electricity to run the car’s motor.

Hiroyuki Yoshino, president and chief executive officer of American Honda Motor Co., flew out from Japan to personally deliver the car to Hahn.

"This is a very important step on a long journey to make fuel cell vehicles commonplace on the world’s highways," Yoshino said. "Today, I’m glad to be joined on this journey by Mayor Hahn and the city of Los Angeles."

The FCX isn’t expected to be available to the average driver for several years.

Hydrogen is the most abundant element in the universe and one of the most volatile. The diesel-powered German blimp Hindenburg, which was kept aloft by hydrogen, killed 35 people when it burst into flames in 1937.

Brian Williams, the deputy mayor of environmental issues who will drive this first FCX from day to day, said he’s not worried about the car exploding under him.

"I think they’re very safe," Williams said. "The precautions they’ve taken are phenomenal."

The other four FCXs will be delivered in early 2003 but haven’t been assigned yet. They will be offered to the city’s elected officials, according to Alvin Blain, assistant general manager of the city department of General Services, which will oversee the fleet.

The city will lease five of the cars in total for $500 a month apiece. In comparison, the city leases an electric car for Councilman Eric Garcetti for $24,000 for three years, or about $665 per month, not including the cost of the electricity.

The Department of Water and Power, which leases more than 200 cars, pays as little as half as much because it gets a bulk rate, according to Angelina Galiteva, executive director of environmental affairs for DWP’s Green LA program.

The five FCXs will join the city’s fleet of 6,611 vehicles, not including those maintained by the city’s three proprietary departments — the harbor, the airports and water and power. More than 3,700 of those are gasoline powered passenger cars and light trucks.

A number of those cars are alternative-fuel vehicles, although only five are electric cars. The city has 217 hybrid gasoline-electric vehicles and wants to buy more.

The city also maintains a number of natural-gas vehicles, including about a hundred passenger cars and 47 trash trucks — with more than 70 more on order, Blain said.

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