Honda to build hydrogen fuel cell car

• First 'zero emission' car going into production
• 134bhp, 100mph top speed and 270-mile range
• Available to lease in 2008 - but only in California

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This is the first hydrogen fuel cell-powered production car - the Honda FCX Clarity.

Unveiled at the Los Angeles motor show, the FCX Clarity is powered by Honda's V-Flow fuel cell system, which is between two and three times more efficient that a conventional petrol-powered car.

It has 134bhp, 189lb ft of pulling power, a 100mph top speed and a 270-mile range. All this is achieved with zero emissions.

These figures are achieved by using the world's most efficient hydrogen fuel system, and a lithium ion battery that is 40% lighter and half as big as the nickel metal equivalent.

The car meets all of America's stringent safety and crash regulations. Equipment includes a sat-nav system that marks the nearest hydrogen filling stations, cruise control and vented seats cooled or heated by the climate control system.

Honda will initially only lease the FCX Clarity to retailers in California, USA from next summer.

The current plan is to charge $600 (£290) a month for a three-year lease period, including maintenance and insurance.

More widespread use of the car is still uncertain, as compressed hydrogen gas would have to become commonplace on garage forecourts.

There are also debates about how the gas is created, with some methods as damaging to the environment as burning fossil fuels in combustion engines.