Torrance a Major Player in New Cars

In today's Breeze ...

Here comes hydrogen to Torrance

Scott Robinson Honda in Torrance and two other Southern California car dealerships will be among the world's first to offer leases on a zero-emission fuel cell vehicle that runs on hydrogen, the Japanese automaker said Monday.

The first commercial production model of the car, the FCX Clarity, rolled off a Honda assembly line in Japan on Monday. About 200 of the vehicles will be part of the milestone leasing program over the next three years in the United States and Japan.

Power Honda Costa Mesa and Honda of Santa Monica also will participate in the leasing program for the FCX Clarity.

"This is an important day in the history of fuel cell vehicle technology and a monumental step closer to the day when fuel cell cars will be part of the mainstream," John Mendel, executive vice president of American Honda Motor Co., the carmaker's North American headquarters, said in a statement.

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