- Honda has a new fuel cell module.
- It was developed independently by the Japanese company.
- The module is more powerful, more compact and cheaper to build than its predecessor.
Honda has a new fuel cell system which is touted as offering more power and more durability in a smaller form factor that’s also much cheaper to manufacture than the previous iteration. That previous iteration can be found in the low-volume 2025 Honda CR-V e-FCEV, a plug-in hybrid hydrogen crossover that saw General Motors lend a hand in developing the power source.
While the hydrogen-powered CR-V can still be leased from a handful of California dealerships, Honda has parted ways with GM for the development of new fuel cell systems and went at it alone for this latest version.
Dubbed simply “Honda Next Generation Fuel Cell Module,” the hydrogen-harnessing energy source has a rated power output of 150 kilowatts–almost double compared to the 78 kW of the FCX unit co-developed with GM and found on the CR-V e-FCEV.
The output voltage of the new-gen module was bumped to a higher range and can now deliver between 450 and 850 volts, opening the door for plug-in hybrid vehicles that use 800-volt high-voltage batteries and a hydrogen fuel cell as a backup power source. The rated voltage output of the previous generation was between 275 and 600 volts.
The maximum net efficiency has also gone up from 56.8% to 59.8%, while the volume has been reduced from 557 liters to 300 liters. The size reduction, coupled with the increase in power, led to a significant bump in volumetric power density–from 0.14 kW/l to 0.50 kW/l. That said, the weight of the fuel cell module went up from 454 pounds (206 kilograms) to 551 lb (250 kg).
Honda Next Generation Fuel Cell Module
Photo by: Honda
Compared to the module that was installed on the discontinued Honda Clarity, the new unit is touted as having roughly a fifth of the manufacturing costs, while the durability has been increased by more than two thirds. Honda claims the new module will have half the production costs compared to the current version that was co-developed with GM.
The Japanese industry giant said the new fuel cell module will go into mass production in 2027, but didn’t mention what it would power once it rolls off the assembly line. Hydrogen fueling stations are few and far between in the United States, with most of them clustered in California. That said, hydrogen fuel cells can also be used for power generators big and small, as well as heavy machinery, not just passenger cars. We’ll just have to wait and see what Honda has in store for this new fuel cell module.
Toyota, which makes the Mirai FCEV, also announced a new generation of its hydrogen-powered module that promises more range and lower manufacturing costs.
