Car and Driver: We Talk With The Third Lessee of a Honda FCX Clarity - Interview

BY AARON ROBINSON June 2009

Who: Jim Salomon, 52, Builder
What: Third person to receive a Honda FCX Clarity hydrogen fuel-cell car
Where: Newport Beach, California

What was your first car?
I hate to say this, but it was a 1957 Nash Metropolitan.

Did girls laugh at you in high school?
Uh, sort of, yeah. It was a three-on-the-tree, turquoise and white. I picked it up for 50 bucks, and it was like brand-new.

With what can you compare the Clarity?
I have to compare this car with my Ford GT, but it’s such a totally different driving experience. The lack of shifting. The lack of gears. It’s got a lot of torque, which surprises me for an environmentally friendly car.

Are you going to sell any of your four gasoline-powered cars now?
Not all, but probably some of the modern ones. This car replaced a Mercedes S550. I do not like driving that car anymore. When I got the Clarity, I drove it for about three weeks. Then I jumped into the Mercedes to run a quick errand. It felt like there was an anchor tied to the bumper. I always thought the Benz had good pickup, but the Clarity feels like you’re devoid of gravity.

Do you know how the fuel cell works?
I’m not a scientist, but I am mechanically minded. You basically have an onboard generator, which is the fuel cell, and it takes hydrogen through the fuel-cell membranes, which are made up of palladium and other metals, which creates a reverse electrolysis reaction, which creates electricity to power the motor.

What’s the range?
Honda says 270 miles; I’ve been getting 220. I drive the car hard. I’ve gotten it up to 100 mph.

This car is leased from Honda [$600 per month; 36-month fixed-term, no-option lease]. What happens if you crash it?
They never said anything about that. The lease includes everything—brakes, tires. I guess collision, too. You can’t take it to Maaco. I definitely do not want to be the first Clarity driver to crack up a car. I heard the press crashed one.

It wasn’t us.

Source;
http://www.caranddriver.com/reviews/hot_lists/high_performance/features_classic_cars/we_talk_with_the_third_lessee_of_a_honda_fcx_clarity_interview