Honda won plaudits from environmentalists and petrol heads alike last week after taking the wraps off its latest fuel-cell-powered concept car at the Los Angeles Auto Show.
The Honda FC Sport applies the company's fuel-cell technology, already deployed in its FCX Clarity sedan, to a new three-seat sports car design.
The company said the car, which will run using a fuel cell and electric motor that will result in zero carbon emissions, boasts a lightweight chassis and low centre of gravity that will allow it to offer "supercar levels of performance".
Unlike the Clarity, the motor has been moved to the rear of the vehicle to give rear-wheel drive, with the hydrogen tanks sitting on top of the motor and the fuel cell positioned behind the driver, creating the balanced weight distribution that is characteristic of sports cars.
The company said that not only would the car deliver zero emissions but it would boast other benefits not offered by conventional cars. It noted that "the optimal placement of fuel-cell components for performance also allows for a relatively large passenger cabin by conventional supercar standards with enough space for three seating positions".
Unveiling the car, Honda said it would likely be several years before it goes into production and the car will inevitably face the refuelling and infrastructure problems that continue to dog producers to fuel-cell vehicles.
However, Dan Bonawitz, vice president of Honda in the US, said the design underlined that it was possible to develop clean vehicles that will still appeal to car enthusiasts.
"The Honda FC Sport explores how to satisfy automotive performance enthusiasts in a world beyond petroleum," he said. "People who love sports cars will still have a reason to love in a hydrogen-powered future."
The car secured unstinting praise from the Top Gear website, which declared the design "drop-dead gorgeous".
"No one expected it, everyone loved it, and the designer Jason Wilbur is clearly a star," the site said.
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