Tuesday, June 17, 2008

The first of a new generation?


Or maybe, perhaps, just a clever "aren't we being green" marketing ploy? Full story from the Telegraph.

I'll leave it to you to make up your own mind, and perhaps I'm being overtly cynical, but producing only 300 of the new Honda FCX Clarity, their new zero-emission hydrogen fuel-cell car, does seem rather pointless to me, especially when you read that they are only going to 'selected' celebs and media luvvies.

I hope I'm wrong, but if they are that convinced of the technology, which does rather sound like a viable and fairly environmentally friendly way forward to me, then surely they would have plans to scale up to mass production far quicker than on a ten year horizon?

Marketing Blog - Low cost commuting & free parking in London - JM Addendum - As we're on a roll:)

1 comment:

Emma said...

Tricky.

It is entirely reasonable to conduct low level tests, and also build 'awareness', though that is a word that brings out my gagging reflex, especially when associated with the word 'celebrity'. I'm guessing our Laura offset her trip to Japan for the launch with many trees.

I know lead times are long, but 10 years is a fair old trek to a 'hope'. I don't recall seeing that word too often in strategic documents when I worked in the ad game. Maybe it's Ok in PR.

The big issue is less the car than a coherent and enviROI+ way of ensuring the fuel is available.

On this basis, and others, '...new zero-emission hydrogen fuel-cell car.' requires some further amplification for me to accept.

The car just 'appeared' did it? The fuel just exists in the tank, does it?

Technologically interesting, yes. Potentailly helpful? Possibly. Green marketing ploy... for sure!

But there have been, are and will be worse.

Along with articles (well, PR-rehash) like this, with sub-editing - which this blog can't afford - to match the reporting: '...Honda claim to have received 50,000 online applications, but selected buyers living close..'.