Honda’s previous attempt to get the Californians out of their beloved Prius and into a more stylish hydrogen-powered car didn’t quite work out. With the new Honda Clarity though, they have a concrete plan in place. This fuel cell car is going to actually sell. 

The base price for a Honda Clarity FCEV, to be launched before the end of 2016 in California, is a nice and round $60,000 with a targeted monthly lease under $500. That sounds reasonable, considering you get a fuel cell vehicle with a range of more than 300 miles, zero emissions, and – if we gloss over the persistent lack of infrastructure for hydrogen fuel stations – no range anxiety.

Fully aware of the problems cars like Honda Clarity still have to deal with in terms of infrastructure, the Japanese car maker is starting off slow, making only a limited number of Clarities in the early stages of production. They will be sold through certified fuel cell vehicle dealers in Los Angeles and Orange counties as well as the San Francisco Bay Area and Sacramento.

“The new Clarity Fuel Cell and Accord Hybrid arriving this year, along with the new plug-in hybrid coming by 2018, are critical steps toward a new generation of Honda advanced environmental vehicles and a true volume pillar for Honda and our product portfolio in the U.S.,” said John Mendel, executive vice president, Automobile Division, American Honda Motor Co., Inc. “The Clarity Fuel Cell is a potential game changer because it offers an uncompromising, zero emissions customer experience, with performance, utility, range and refueling time on par with today’s gasoline-powered cars.”