Honda Announces Plug-in Hybrid and EV for 2012

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