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Who can really claim first mass-produced fuel cell vehicle delivery in US?

Last month, Hyundai said that the initial deliveries of the Tucson Fuel Cell vehicles in California meant that, "For the first time, retail consumers can now put a mass-produced, federally-certified hydrogen fuel cell vehicle in their driveways." But try telling that to Jon Spallino. In 2005, Honda leased a hydrogen fuel cell FCX, a small hatchback, to the Spallino family (as far as we know, he parked it in his driveway). The company did the same thing again in 2008 with the FCX Clarity, a sleek new design based on the FCX Concept, and others signed for the H2 ride as well, including celebrities. No matter how you slice it, Honda has been in the fuel cell delivery market for almost a decade now. Just look at this. Or this. Or this. Oh, and other automakers (General Motors in Project Driveway in 2006 and Mercdes-Benz with the F-Cell in 2010, for example) have delivered fuel cell vehicles in the US as part of short-term test programs. But let's get back to Hyundai's claim. There's little question that the first delivery of a "fuel cell vehicle for the US market" has already taken place (and they were federally certified, too), which means that the debate revolves around the definition of mass-produced and whether "mass production" is about a number or about the process? Let's investigate below. First, lets review Honda's bona fides. We can start with the official version of Honda's fuel cell history, which is missing the pertinent detail that Honda build the Clarity on a dedicated assembly line and established a small network of three dealerships to lease the FCX Clarity in 2008. All of the FCX Clarity vehicles in customer hands in the US were leased through these dealerships. Sure, Honda started with hand-built stacks in its hydrogen vehicles, but went to automated control of some parts and components with series production. "It is good to see others doing today what we've been doing since 2008" – Steve Ellis, Honda Or, as Honda's Steve Elllis put it to AutoblogGreen regarding Hyundai's fuel cell deliveries: "This was exactly as prescribed by the creation of the California Fuel Cell Partnership. It's the very essence of 'co-op-itition.' We at Honda, as do many others, continue to push forward on many technologies, both the battery and the fuel cell. And society is the beneficiary." Then he added, "It is good to see others doing today what we've been doing since 2008." Now, how does Hyundai compare?

Autoblog Podcast #362

Episode #362 of the Autoblog podcast is here, and this week, Dan Roth and Chris Paukert cover the year-end news, including the surprise resignation of Hyundai Motor North America CEO John Krafcik, strong early sales for the 2014 Jeep Cherokee, and 2015 Ford F-150 rumors ahead of its expected Detroit Auto Show debut. Dan also had a chance to look back at 2013 and ahead to 2014 with Autoline's John McElroy. We start with what's in the garage and finish up with some of your questions, and for those of you who hung with us live on our UStream channel, thanks for taking the time. Check out the new rundown below with times for topics, and you can follow along after the jump with our Q&A. Thanks for listening!
Autoblog Podcast #362:
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Autoblog Minute: Ford Ranger, UK Mustang, Hyundai Hybrid

Ford may bring the Ranger back to the US, the UK goes nuts over the Mustang, and the battle of hybrids heats up with spy shots of the Toyota Prius and a new Hyundai. Autoblog's senior editor Greg Migliore reports on the weekly recap edition of Autoblog Minute. Show full video transcript text [00:00:00] Ford may bring the Ranger back to the US, the UK goes nuts over Mustang, and the battle of hybrids heats up with spy shots of Prius and a new Hyundai. I'm Autoblog senior editor Greg Migliore and this is your Autoblog Minute weekly recap. 2011 was the last time we saw Ford's midsize pickup in the US but according to a report from the Detroit News we could see production of the Ranger at the [00:00:30] Dearborn automaker's Michigan Assembly Plant as early as 2018. Ranger could compete with the Chevy Colorado and perhaps revive the compact and midsize pickup market for Ford, but the future of Ranger in the US depends a lot on Ford's ongoing negotiations with the UAW. About 2,000 orders for the 2015 Mustang were placed in the UK, tying up production of the pony car until July 2016. According to details in a press release from Ford UK, [00:01:00] it looks like Brits are a lot like their American cousins, opting for the 5.0 liter V8, with Race Red as the popular color of choice. Photos of the 2016 Toyota Prius leaked generating a lot of buzz over the styling. This fourth generation Prius will have some new competition as spy shots of a new Hyundai also surfaced this week. The car is said to be a hybrid and a bonafide "Prius fighter." Those are the highlights from the week that was. Be sure to check out my full recap this Saturday, [00:01:30] including the latest in FCA rumors for 2016. For Autoblog, I'm Greg Migliore. Autoblog Minute is a short-form video news series reporting on all things automotive. Each segment offers a quick and clear picture of what's happening in the automotive industry from the perspective of Autoblog's expert editorial staff, auto executives, and industry professionals. UAW/Unions Ford GMC Hyundai Toyota Truck Hybrid Autoblog Minute Videos Original Video