2025 Honda CR-V e:FCEV revealed as plug-in hydrogen EV
Fuel-cell powered Honda CR-V comes with plug-in charging function as standard
After teasing its latest hydrogen-powered electrified vehicle last year, Honda has officially revealed the production version of the CR-V e:FCEV. Revealed simultaneously both in Japan and in the US, the hydrogen-powered crossover is set to redefine the fuel cell EV market by combining the best features of a crossover and a fuel cell powertrain.
Beginning with the hardware, the CR-V e:FCEV is not like your typical fuel cell vehicle or EV. That's because it comes with two ports on its side. While the one at the back serves to refill the 4.3 kg hydrogen tank, the front is for charging the 17.7 kWh battery pack which also supplies power to the front electric motor. That's right, users can recharge the CR-V e:FCEV in two different ways.
The electric motor itself provides 176 PS with 310 Nm of torque which is more than enough to motivate the fuel cell-powered crossover. Combined with the hydrogen system at the back, Honda claims the CR-V e:FCEV can travel for over 600 km on a full tank of hydrogen.
It can also do 60 km on just battery power alone. As for the fuel cell system itself, it was co-developed by Honda and General Motors (GM) and produced by their joint venture company, Fuel Cell System Manufacturing LLC in Michigan, USA.
In addition, the system supports bi-directional charging which comes with a bundled power supply connector that connects to a 110V outlet to deliver a maximum of 1,500 watts of power. This allows the CR-V e:FCEV to power small appliances, gadgets, power tools, and even camping equipment with ease.
Style-wise, the CR-V e:FCEV slightly differs from your regular CR-V. It gets a more upright grille design, new body panels in front of the A-pillar, unique 18-inch ten-spoke alloy wheels finished in black, and clear LED taillights. For improved aerodynamics, Honda installed a full floor undercover and a unique front spoiler.
Inside, the electrified crossover comes with a 9-inch touchscreen infotainment that supports wireless Android Auto & Apple CarPlay, a 10.2-inch digital instrument panel, a 12-speaker Bose sound system, power-adjustable front seats, dual-zone automatic climate control, a power tailgate, and bio-based leather upholstery for a more eco-friendly vehicle.
With the CR-V now available in e:HEV (hybrid), e:PHEV (plug-in hybrid), and e:FCEV (fuel cell EV), Honda wants to make sure that CR-V customers are spoiled for choice when it comes to selecting their eco-friendly crossover. Perhaps the only question now is, will motorists be more open to the idea of using fuel cell technology besides the more popular hybrid and fully electric vehicles?
