Power Honda Costa Mesa will be one of a few dealers leasing the FCX Clarity sedan, a hydrogen car from Honda Motor Co.
The cars are set to lease for $600 a month for three years, including maintenance.
Honda’s first hydrogen fuel cell car for consumers is set to lease at only two other Southern California dealerships in Santa Monica and Torrance.
The company made the announcement last week at its hydrogen auto plant in Japan.
The autos aren’t being leased in massive quantities because there are few refueling stations. One is in Irvine. More are in development, according to Honda.
Honda plans to lease about 200 of the vehicles in the next three years, starting next month. Mass production isn’t slated for another 10 years.
The Clarity can go 270 miles before refueling.
The cars don’t pollute. Their only emission is water. They are propelled by an electric motor, which is generated by a fuel cell that converts hydrogen and oxygen into electricity.
They don’t need to be plugged in, like electric cars, and they don’t use any gasoline, like the Prius.
The company also announced its first customers, a couple of whom have Orange County ties. One is Jon Spallino, chief financial officer of an engineering and construction company in Irvine. The other is Jim Salomon, a Newport Beach resident.
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Anaheim GardenWalk: restaurants, some stores open, more to come |
Fletcher: May Sales Gain
Fletcher Jones Motorcars in Newport Beach reported a 2.3% increase in auto sales for May.
The Mercedes-Benz dealer sold 565 autos.
Sales of Mercedes nationwide were up 0.1% from a year earlier to 21,785 new autos, according to Daimler AG’s Mercedes-Benz USA LLC in Montvale, N.J.
GardenWalk Opens
Anaheim GardenWalk, the shopping center across from Disneyland, held its grand opening earlier this month, with about 40% of the stores open. Skechers, Harley-Davidson, Aveda Salon and Spa, Hollister, Ann Taylor Loft and The Body Shop are among them.
Six restaurants have been open for a while now and are reportedly doing well, including Bubba Gump Shrimp Co., California Pizza Kitchen and McCormick and Schmick’s.
By fall, about 85% of the stores are expected to be open, said William Stone, principal of San Diego-based Excel Realty Holdings LLC, owner of the mall. Eventually, there will be 70 shops, eight restaurants and 14 casual eateries.
Some of the other stores slated to open: Georgiou, a San Francisco-based women’s clothing store named after the owner, George Georgiou; Momotree, which sells anime toys and clothing; O’Neill; Pop the Cork Wine Bar; White House Black Market; and Tommy Bahama.
There also will be entertainment. An upscale bowling alley called 300 Anaheim and a movie theater are expected to open soon.
Anaheim Mayor Curt Pringle helped with the opening festivities.
The outdoor center is big,4 million square feet on 20 acres. It seems even bigger in person.
Excel paid special attention to the landscaping and design, with themed gardens throughout the mall and creative lighting.
Stone said he expects to draw a lot of tourists wanting to spend at least one of their vacation days away from Disneyland. The center also should get its share of locals and conventioneers. Right now, about 40% to 60% of the customers are local, he said.
The Harley-Davidson store at GardenWalk kept tourists in mind with its design. In the window is an antique Harley-Davidson, which looks more like a bicycle than a motorcycle.
The store’s interior is supposed to look like the inside of an engine.
It is the second store location for Harley-Davidson of Anaheim-Fullerton, a family-owned business based in Fullerton and founded by Tom Scott in 1966. Its store in Fullerton sells Harley gear and motorcycles. The Anaheim store just sells Harley-Davidson merchandise.
The company has the rights to open Harley-Davidson stores in North Orange County, said Tom “Disco” Loveland, director of marketing.
The company had been looking for about five years for a second location, he said.
Store Openings
UNA, a women’s clothing store, opened at Corona del Mar Plaza next to Sprinkles. Designer Audrey McLoghlin is the owner. UNA sells trendy brands including Theory, William Rast, Trovata and Kooba.
Total Wine & More plans a store this fall at The Market Place in Tustin near Best Buy. It is the wine superstore’s first OC location and the second California store.
The Delaware-based chain carries 8,000 different wines. It also sells beer, liquor, specialty foods and wine accessories. The store plans to host wine tastings.
Teuscher Chocolates & Cafe has expanded at Fashion Island and moved to a new location next to Carousel Court. Teuscher sells chocolates that are made and packaged in Switzerland, home for the Teuscher family.
