Honda has introduced lease pricing for its upcoming CR-V e:FCEV gas cell plug in hybrid, which operates both on electrical energy or hydrogen.
Honda first introduced the CR-V e:FCEV earlier this 12 months, and we received an opportunity to drive it at Honda’s California R&D middle.
It’s an attention-grabbing concept that no person’s executed earlier than. To assist make up for the dearth of hydrogen stations, you possibly can fill the automobile’s 17.7kWh battery up with electrical energy at dwelling for as much as 29 miles of vary of everyday use, after which refill the 241-mile hydrogen tank, which is faster to fill and has larger vitality density than batteries, occasionally for longer journeys.
After we drove it (and you’ll learn our far too-detailed ideas on it right here), we received plenty of the technical stuff out of the best way, however Honda hadn’t but introduced the specifics of its providing – simply that it could be lease-only and would include some quantity of free hydrogen. Immediately, we’re lastly getting the main points.
Honda CR-V e:FCEV will lease for $389-$489/mo
Honda is providing three completely different lease offers on the CR-V e:FCEV, with two of them at a comparatively normal 12k miles per 12 months, and one high-mileage lease with a 2 12 months, 60,000 mile time period.
| 2025 Honda CR-V e:FCEV Touring Lease Choices | |||
| Month-to-month cost | $459 | $389 | $489 |
| Due at signing | $2,959 | $2,889 | $2,989 |
| Lease time period | 3 years | 6 years | 2 years |
| Allowable mileage | 36,000 | 72,000 | 60,000 |
| Hydrogen gas credit score  | $15,000 | $30,000 | $25,000 |
The month-to-month pricing is just a little excessive in comparison with the good EV lease offers we’ve been seeing these days (e.g. Mannequin 3 for lower than a Camry, Hyundais for round $200/mo, or the Toyota bZ4X for subsequent to nothing), however nonetheless pretty cheap. And it comes with a free hydrogen gas credit score, which is able to assist to make up for a few of that distinction in lease price (and good factor, since hydrogen is at the moment ~$32/kg which implies it’s $130+ to refill its 4.3kg tank).
The lease additionally consists of 21 days of free Avis leases, however solely in California – which is by the way the one state that Honda will lease the automobile in.
The CR-V e:FCEV will probably be obtainable beginning July 9. Honda plans to supply about 300 autos for lease.
Electrek’s Take
Whereas I do suppose it’s attention-grabbing what Honda is doing with the CR-V e:FCEV, it’s type of an answer in the hunt for an issue. Nevertheless it’s additionally not a lot of an answer, since Honda plans to supply 300 of those autos in a state which has 30 million autos.
Honda says that engaged on gas cell expertise will assist them hedge their bets, as an alternative of focusing totally on BEV as many of the business is doing. Honda is correct that gas cells might have a distinct segment – however that area of interest might be in heavy transport, not in light-duty shopper autos. Honda did lately present a Class 8 hydrogen truck idea, nevertheless it’s in search of companions to deliver it to actuality because it doesn’t at the moment make semi vans itself.
And giving out free vitality is enjoyable, nevertheless it eliminates the entire level of the hybrid. Drivers can both pay for their very own electrical energy, which is extra environment friendly and must be cheaper than both gasoline or hydrogen, or they will go to the hydrogen station free of charge gas.
This removes the EV comfort filling up at dwelling, and simply makes the automobile a relatively inconvenient hydrogen automobile, which is able to principally find yourself being fueled at considered one of only a few California hydrogen stations as an alternative of within the consolation of the parking spot it returns to each single night time. As a result of why would you refill at dwelling when hydrogen is free?
Conversely, with a BEV, you could possibly have that comfort, and have extra availability of DC chargers on the highway, together with out-of-state, with little extra charging time (assuming you utilize considered one of the quickest charging EVs) – and the EV is extra environment friendly than the hydrogen automobile in addition.
Which brings up the precise resolution to the issue that Honda is making an attempt to resolve right here: why not simply get a battery-electric automobile as an alternative?
Learn Extra – First drive: Honda says its CR-V e:FCEV plug-in gas cell hybrid is the long run. Is it?
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