Honda to Start U.S. Leasing of Fuel-Cell Cars in California

[jpak]

http://www.bloomberg.com/apps/news?pid=20601101&sid=aS9zpOaXTamQ&refer=japan

Nov. 15 (Bloomberg) -- Honda Motor Co., Japan's third- largest automaker, plans to make California as its first U.S. market for leasing fuel-cell cars to individuals, taking advantage of the state's plans for a hydrogen-fuel network.

The company will start within two years by leasing a limited number of cars based on its new FCX prototype, U.S. sales chief John Mendel said in an interview yesterday at a test-drive of the FCX in Monterey, California. Marketing will gradually expand from California to other major U.S. markets, he said.

Honda expects its fuel-cell car to challenge Toyota Motor Corp.'s lead in automobiles that cut pollution and gasoline use, Mendel said. Toyota is the biggest seller of gasoline-electric autos, with models such as the Prius car. Governments are pushing automakers for alternatives to gasoline engines, in part because of concern about carbon emissions linked to global warming.

``We're going to show this isn't `Buck Rogers' stuff, that there's a near-term role'' for hydrogen fuel-cell vehicles, Mendel said. ``It will be positioned as the environmental badge of honor for our customers.''

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