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Who would have thought there would be a hydrogen-powered fuel-cell vehicle on public sale this year?
But guessing the first customers isn't so hard - the first examples of Honda FCX Clarity sedan are going to trend/eco-conscious (sometimes it's hard to tell the difference) film-industry types.
Most famous among the select group is actor Jamie Lee Curtis, who will share an FCX with her film-maker husband Christopher Guest.
Another actor, Laura Harris, is getting one. Ditto producer Ron Yerxa. Entrepreneur Jim Salomon gets another, as does businessman Jon Spallino, who has been running a first-generation FCX for the past three years.
Aside from being rich/famous, Honda's selection criteria for the first wave of FCX customers included proximity to hydrogen refuelling stations, as well as driving patterns.
Honda previously announced plans to deliver 200 FCXs to the US and Japan during the first three years of production.
The lease programme marks the world's first full-scale retail initiative for fuel-cell vehicle technology.
The FCX Clarity is propelled by an electric motor that runs on electricity generated in a fuel cell.
The vehicle's only emission is water, and its fuel efficiency is claimed to be three times that of a modern petrol-powered automobile.
Advances over Honda's previous generation FCX include space for four adults, a 30 per cent increase in range up to 450km and a 25 per cent improvement in combined economy to the equivalent of 3.8 litres per 100km (actual consumption 116km/kg-H2).
The FCX Clarity is being offered on a three-year, $790-per-month lease with full maintenance. Indeed, any problems and you can be sure Honda will roll out the red carpet.
