Though Honda’s FCX Clarity hydrogen fuel cell vehicle still isn’t coming to Europe — the Japanese manufacturer will first lease a fleet of 200 vehicles to customers in California and Japan to monitor the car — the first model has rolled off the production line in Japan.

Customers will pay roughly £300 per month over three years for the privilege of driving the zero-emissions Honda, but drivers will have to be very careful how they plan their journeys. The car only has a range of 270 miles and there are only three hydrogen filling stations in California and 12 in Japan.

“The arrival of the first hydrogen fuel cell car is particularly significant during this time of rapidly increasing oil prices,” John Kingston, environment manager for Honda UK, said. “Honda is proud to offer an alternative energy solution that could reduce our dependence on fossil fuels and the effect of motoring on climate change."

Under the FCX’s skin is a fuel cell stack that uses an electromechanical reaction between hydrogen and oxygen to convert chemical energy into electrical energy, which in turn powers the 134bhp motor. The only byproduct is water.