Honda to Sell New Gas-Electric Hybrid Next Year

In what feels like loooooong overdue news, Honda has announced that it will sell "a new, improved and affordable gas-electric hybrid in the USA, Japan and Europe" starting in early 2009, as outlined by President Takeo Fukui at the company's Tokyo headquarters Tuesday. The design of the new vehicle will be inspired by the FCX Clarity (pictured above); it will be a five-door sedan that seats five passengers, and will feature new technology to reduce the size and weight of the hybrid system and increase fuel efficiency.
In addition to the new hybrid, Honda will introduce several other hybrids: a Civic, a sportier model (based on the CR-Z concept car), and a Fit subcompact, according to Fukui.
No prices were discussed and no photos were shown of the new model. However, Fukui said the difference between hybrids and their comparable standard models should be kept within 200,000 yen ($1,900), compared to current gaps, which now reach as much as 500,000 yen ($4,800).
Honda has been trailing rival Toyota in the hybrid market. Honda said Wednesday that it plans to sell 500,000 hybrids a year sometime after 2010 -- still half the number that Toyota has already announced it seeks to sell a year by the same time period.
Our favorite line of the press conference? Speaking about the need to start production at home before outsourcing it to other countries, Fukui said, "the power of Japan is needed."
Go fuel-efficient Speed Racer, go. [Source: USA Today]





Whitney Houston Dead: Singer Dies at 48, Body Found in Beverly Hilton Hotel
Whitney Houston Autopsy: Cause of Death Determined?
Whitney Houston, Bobbi Kristina: Late Singer's Daughter Hospitalized
Whitney Houston Dead: Stars React to Legend's Sudden Death
Grammy Red Carpet 2012 (PHOTOS)
Grammy 2012 Winners' List: Adele Sweeps Music's Biggest Night
Katy Perry Grammy Performance 2012: Did the Diva Diss Her Ex-Hubby With Revealing New Song?
5-Hour Energy: A Success Equal Parts Caffeine, Chemistry and Meditation
Jennifer Hudson Whitney Tribute: Grammy President Reveals Why Singer Was Chosen for Musical Memorial
There's only one thing to do when the Nürburgring is covered in snow...















Comments
2
Subscribe to commentsdannyMay 22nd 2008 2:44PM
if only i could afford a new car :(....
NicholeMay 23rd 2008 5:11PM
Hi, I’m – from MyRide.com. 500,000 hybrids a year still isn’t a whole lot compared to the demand right now-A lot of people are on waiting lists to get a new Prius. If you’re looking for a hybrid right now, there are surprisingly more on the used market than one would think. MyRide.com has listings for over 4,000 used Priuses nationwide. Check out this link to find one in your area http://www.myride.com/search/used/results.html?make=Toyota&model=Prius&makeId=37&status=used&q=Used+Toyota+Prius