Honda is Releasing a Hydrogen Fuel Cell Plug-In Hybrid CR-V for 2025

Chris Teague
by Chris Teague

Hydrogen fuel cell vehicles offer a unique EV experience, and their ability to completely refuel in just a few minutes makes them more convenient than their battery-powered counterparts. That said, they’re only sold in California, and there are only two models available. Honda was a player in the hydrogen game but stopped selling the Clarity in 2022. That’s about to change, however, as the automaker recently announced the CR-V e:FCEV, the first plug-in hydrogen vehicle in the United States.


The concept behind the CR-V is similar to that of a traditional PHEV, replacing gas with hydrogen. Honda worked with General Motors to design the fuel cell module. The owner can plug in at home or a public charger and get 29 miles of range or fill with hydrogen to get up to 270 miles of range. A single motor delivers 174 horsepower and 229 pound-feet of torque to the front wheels. Honda said it designed the suspension to “deliver the same sporty driving experience and class-leading refinement as other CR-V models,” though the sporty part is debatable.

HondaLink navigation comes standard, offering guidance to one of the 55 hydrogen fueling stations in California. The CR-V also gets a full suite of driver aids, wireless smartphone mirroring, a nine-inch touchscreen, and a 10.2-inch digital gauge cluster. It has a 110-volt outlet on board that can power appliances, power tools, air conditioners, and other equipment.

[Images: Honda]


Become a TTAC insider. Get the latest news, features, TTAC takes, and everything else that gets to the truth about cars first by  subscribing to our newsletter.

Chris Teague
Chris Teague

Chris grew up in, under, and around cars, but took the long way around to becoming an automotive writer. After a career in technology consulting and a trip through business school, Chris began writing about the automotive industry as a way to reconnect with his passion and get behind the wheel of a new car every week. He focuses on taking complex industry stories and making them digestible by any reader. Just don’t expect him to stay away from high-mileage Porsches.

More by Chris Teague

Comments
Join the conversation
3 of 21 comments
  • Jkross22 Jkross22 on Feb 27, 2024

    this is how difficult it can get....

    • SCE to AUX SCE to AUX on Feb 28, 2024

      This is why Tesla built the Supercharger network themselves, instead of relying on others in in the public or private sector.

      As for hydrogen, this map is what I'd expect, and it comports with an Edmunds article a few years ago about their long-term Mirai. Refilling was a nightmare, even in California.

      The technical challenges of handling hydrogen are way harder than EVs, and EV filling isn't super reliable.

  • ToolGuy ToolGuy on Feb 28, 2024

    Honda is dreaming. And resting on its 'laurels' (French for 'posterior').

  • EBFlex Virtue signaling is expensive. But we all knew the corpse wasn’t interested in actually doing what he said. He, once again, was trying to buy votes. It’s surprising to see the propaganda rag of the Democratic Party, WaPo, is actually holding the corpse accountable. Would love to hear what the toilet bowl brush has to say. Her spin on this would be epic.
  • GrumpyOldMan If the Government was put in charge of the Sahara Desert, there would soon be a shortage of sand!
  • SCE to AUX Your tax dollars not at work.
  • Tassos Trump just crapped himself in the court room and can’t make a coherent sentence but the cognitive decline crowd is about to come in here talking about how far gone Biden is. 🤡
  • DungBeetle62 As others have noticed, the major manufacturers gradually ceding the lower-end of the market is all but printing the Chinese a "we double-dog dare ya!!!" invitation. Even with tariffs, any craptastic wheeled conveyance-- gas or electric-- that China sends that can pass DOT and EPA will still manage to undercut their ever-increasing price of entry level. And we've seen plenty of times through history, many will be moth-to-flame attracted to a cheap sticker even if the quality is dubious. On that note, the local VW dealer now has a Vinfast sign posted - waiting to see how many suckers that reels in.
Next