Car and Driver is reporting that this summer, a still-secret number of consumers in Los Angeles will be able to lease a 2009 Honda FCX Clarity fuel-cell vehicle for $600 a month for three years, which will include maintenance and insurance—but they can't buy it, ever. The hydrogen will cost about $5 per kilogram and come in compressed gas form. The tank will hold 5 kilograms and be good for 270 miles, which gives the Clarity an impressive equivalent fuel economy of 68 mpg.

The report said that the fuel-cell stack in the Clarity provides 50-percent-more output from only 65 percent of the size of the unit in Honda's current FCX, a two-door hatch that has been on the road since 2002. "And although the previous FCX augmented the stack with nickel-metal hydride batteries and now has a range of 210 miles, the 2008 Clarity will have a range of 270 miles and will use lithium-ion batteries for power assist and to store energy regenerated in braking."

The Clarity is sized in between the current Civic and Accord; it's 190.3 inches long, 72.7 inches wide, and weighs 3600 pounds. The car puts out 134 hp and 189 lb ft of torque.

(Source: Car and Driver)