NY Provides Leadership in Promoting Clean Energy
Agrees to utilize revolutionary fuel cell vehicles

Governor George E. Pataki today announced an agreement with Honda Motor Corp. to lease two Honda FCX hydrogen-powered fuel cell vehicles, adding to the State’s growing fleet of alternative fuel vehicles and further demonstrating New York’s leadership in the development and use of clean, renewable energy technologies. New York is the first state government customer for the vehicles in the United States and will be the first to operate the vehicles in the Northeast.

"New York is pleased to partner with Honda to utilize these innovative fuel cell vehicles, which use emerging technology to significantly reduce energy use, promote cleaner air and help break our dependence on foreign oil," said Governor Pataki. "Fuel cells - like those used in this vehicle - have the potential to revolutionize the transportation and energy industries and we are proud that the State will play a major role in helping to develop the next generation of clean, energy efficient vehicles for daily use."

The State’s participation in the testing program will play a critical role in demonstrating the cold-weather performance capabilities of the Honda FCX and the breakthrough Honda FC stack, which has the ability to start in sub-freezing temperatures.

The Honda FCX is a hydrogen-powered fuel cell vehicle, which converts compressed gaseous hydrogen into electricity for motive power with water as its only emission. The 2005 FCX has a range of up to 190 miles and seating for four people, making it practical for a wide range of real-world applications. The Honda FCX is the world’s most advanced fuel cell vehicle. It is the only fuel cell car to be certified by both the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and the California Air Resources Board (CARB) for regular daily use.

To advance the development of a hydrogen infrastructure and the future viability of hydrogen power for the automotive industry, Honda also has partnered with Latham, NY-based Plug Power Inc. (NASDAQ: PLUG) on the development of a Home Energy Station (HESII) that would allow customers to refuel their fuel cell vehicles at home while supplying supplemental electricity and heat for the home. The HESII prototype is located at Plug Power’s headquarters in Latham and will provide the State with refueling options while providing real-world data for further development of this innovative technology. Honda also has agreed to provide an Air Products mobile refueling station at the Harriman State Office campus in Albany for use in refueling the State-leased vehicles.

Fuel cell vehicles (FCV), such as the Honda FCX, represent a radical departure from vehicles with conventional internal combustion engines. FCVs powered by clean, renewable hydrogen emit little or no greenhouse gases and other harmful pollutants, can help reduce our dependency on foreign oil, and are quieter and more energy efficient than conventional fuel vehicles.

Like battery-electric vehicles, FCVs are propelled by electric motors. But while battery electric vehicles use electricity from an external source and store it in a battery, FCVs create their own electricity. Fuel cells onboard the vehicles create electricity through a chemical process using hydrogen fuel and oxygen from the air.

FCVs can be fueled with pure hydrogen gas stored onboard in high-pressure tanks. They also can be fueled with hydrogen-rich fuels, such as methanol, natural gas, or even gasoline. However, these fuels must first be converted into hydrogen gas by an onboard device called a "reformer."

FCVs fueled with pure hydrogen emit no pollutants; only water and heat. In addition, FCVs can be twice as efficient as similarly sized conventional vehicles and may also incorporate other advanced technologies to increase efficiency.

Earlier this year, New York committed $750,000 to help create a "Hydrogen Roadmap" in New York that will identify the steps needed to systematically put in place a hydrogen infrastructure and educate the public about hydrogen-related energy. In addition, NYSERDA has partnered with the Rochester Institute of Technology (RIT) to create one of four new Hydrogen Technology Learning Centers in the country. The Center will serve to educate students, potential end-users, local officials and the public about the vision of a hydrogen economy, hydrogen technologies and applications, the safe use of hydrogen as an energy carrier, and the challenges to achieving a hydrogen economy.

For more information about fuel cell vehicles, please visit the U.S. Department of Energy website at http://www.fueleconomy.gov/feg/fuelcell.shtml. For more information or downloadable high-resolution images of the Honda FCX and other Honda vehicles, please visit www.hondanews.com.