Honda's FCX Concept fuel cell car is the prototype of a new model that will go on sale in Japan and the USA next year.

Featuring a compact fuel cell system that converts hydrogen into electricity, it will be displayed complete with the Honda Home Energy Station.

It offers a roomy four-seater cabin with significant improvements in power output and environmental performance, for a top speed of 160 km/h and a range of up to 570 kms.

Remarkably, this is not the first fuel cell car Honda has made available to a private customer - that honour belongs to the previous Honda FCX, delivered to a California family on 30th June 2005.

Honda has made significant progress since that car was delivered and the FCX Concept's fuel cell stack is 20 percent smaller and 30 percent lighter, yet its power output is 14 kW greater.

Overall, the power plant is about 180 kg lighter than that of the current FCX and about 40 percent smaller in volume, for improved efficiency and a more spacious interior.

The FCX Concept carries a compact, high-efficiency lithium ion battery, contributing to a range approximately 30 percent greater than the current FCX.

Its energy efficiency of around 60 percent is approximately three times that of a petrol-engined vehicle, twice that of a hybrid vehicle and 10 per cent better than the current FCX.

Other features include seat upholstery and door linings made from Honda Bio-Fabric, a plant-based material that offers outstanding durability and resistance to sunlight damage.