Honda Announces Plug-in Hybrid and EV for 2012
Honda will produce a plug-in hybrid and electric vehicle for the U.S. by 2012, according to the automaker.
There are no specifications on the Honda EV, but it will likely compete with the upcoming Nissan Leaf and Mitsubishi i MiEV. The EV will be introduced in the U.S. in 2012 after the company completes a demonstration program with participants from Stanford University, Google and the City of Torrance, Calif.
A plug-in hybrid system is also under development for midsize and larger vehicles – such as the Honda Accord – for the U.S. by 2012. The plug-in system will be evaluated in 2010, again by the City of Torrance.
Honda also announced a next-generation Honda Civic Hybrid will debut for 2011. The new hybrid will feature a lithium-ion battery, which has a better energy-to-weight ratio compared to the current Civic Hybrid’s nickel-metal-hydride battery.
The news comes at a time when Honda is falling behind in the hybrid segment. Honda Civic Hybrid sales are down 74.6% this year. While the Insight sales are up 37.2%, the model is only selling at one-sixth the rate of the Toyota Prius, which is the Insight’s closest competitor.
The 2011 Civic Hybrid announcement is also significant in that it points to a ballpark date for the next-generation gas-powered Honda Civic; until now, we had no idea when to expect the new Civic.
2010|Honda|Civic Hybrid
2010|Honda|Insight