More details on Honda’s new dedicated hybrid
09-05-07, 10:30 AM
#1
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More details on Honda’s new dedicated hybrid
More details on Honda’s new dedicated hybrid
Posted on Wednesday 5 September 2007
Honda is hoping to claw back much of the hybrid car market that it lost to Toyota and its segment leading Prius with an all new dedicated hybrid model of its own. Despite beating Toyota to the hybrid market with the launch of the Insight back in 1999, Honda has since seen most hybrid-buyers head for the Prius because of the image and status it presents. Here was an odd-looking vehicle that people immediately new was eco-friendly, while at the same time offering plenty of interior space and reasonable performance.
Honda hopes to change all that with the launch ifs its new hybrid car that it claims will cost less than the Prius and offer better fuel-consumption figures, according to Newsweek. Designers won’t be making the same mistake of making the car’s styling subtle as they’ve done with previous hybrids. Instead, they’ll base the car on an all-new platform and pickup some of the quirky styling made famous on some of its earlier models.
Engineers at Honda’s California division have been testing the new hybrid at night through the streets of LA and hope to have it ready by 2010. Pictured above is a Honda’s small sports-hybrid concept car displayed at March’s Geneva Motor Show, which the new car may draw some of its styling from.
Posted on Wednesday 5 September 2007
Honda is hoping to claw back much of the hybrid car market that it lost to Toyota and its segment leading Prius with an all new dedicated hybrid model of its own. Despite beating Toyota to the hybrid market with the launch of the Insight back in 1999, Honda has since seen most hybrid-buyers head for the Prius because of the image and status it presents. Here was an odd-looking vehicle that people immediately new was eco-friendly, while at the same time offering plenty of interior space and reasonable performance.
Honda hopes to change all that with the launch ifs its new hybrid car that it claims will cost less than the Prius and offer better fuel-consumption figures, according to Newsweek. Designers won’t be making the same mistake of making the car’s styling subtle as they’ve done with previous hybrids. Instead, they’ll base the car on an all-new platform and pickup some of the quirky styling made famous on some of its earlier models.
Engineers at Honda’s California division have been testing the new hybrid at night through the streets of LA and hope to have it ready by 2010. Pictured above is a Honda’s small sports-hybrid concept car displayed at March’s Geneva Motor Show, which the new car may draw some of its styling from.
02-18-08, 11:31 AM
#2
Update
Honda to Preview Global Hybrid in Paris
Although Honda was first to the mass-market with its Insight hybrid, the tiny form-factor made it less than practical for most buyers. Consequently, Toyota’s Prius ran off with the hybrid crown when it came along with seating for five. The Honda Civic hybrid has been making some inroads, but its similar price and slightly lower efficiency have held it back. Now Honda’s going back to the small-hybrid idea with its global hybrid concept.
Expected to go on sale in 2009, the new hybrid will be smaller than the civic, and will cost roughly two-thirds as much. In Europe, that will translate to a price of €16,000 to €20,000 compared to the Civic Hybrid’s starting price of €23,800. Honda hopes to bring sales of hybrids up to a full 10 percent of total car sales by 2010, and this new small hybrid should account for 200,000 units annually. Half of the new car’s production will be sent to the U.S., a quarter to Europe with the rest to be divided amongst the remainder of the globe.
Those sales goals are somewhat optimistic, considering combined sales of Toyota’s Prius and the Civic Hybrid barely topped 42,000 cars in 2007, according to Automotive News. However its lower price, the increasing popularity of hybrids, stricter emissions laws and the likelihood of more congestion charges like London’s recently enacted Ł25 daily fee, 50,000 units may not be so far from the mark. The new smaller hybrid has a possible goal of sliding under the 100g/km CO2 mark. That figure equates to a combined cycle fuel efficiency of 4.2L/100km, or 56mpg US/67mpg Imperial.
Honda envisions the small global hybrid as part of a three-car range starting with the newest addition, with the Civic Hybrid in the middle and topped with a new hybrid based on the CR-Z concept (pictured). A company spokesman says all three models will be on sale by 2011, and the company expects hybrids to account for 400,000 to 500,000 of the company’s sales each year.
Although Honda was first to the mass-market with its Insight hybrid, the tiny form-factor made it less than practical for most buyers. Consequently, Toyota’s Prius ran off with the hybrid crown when it came along with seating for five. The Honda Civic hybrid has been making some inroads, but its similar price and slightly lower efficiency have held it back. Now Honda’s going back to the small-hybrid idea with its global hybrid concept.
Expected to go on sale in 2009, the new hybrid will be smaller than the civic, and will cost roughly two-thirds as much. In Europe, that will translate to a price of €16,000 to €20,000 compared to the Civic Hybrid’s starting price of €23,800. Honda hopes to bring sales of hybrids up to a full 10 percent of total car sales by 2010, and this new small hybrid should account for 200,000 units annually. Half of the new car’s production will be sent to the U.S., a quarter to Europe with the rest to be divided amongst the remainder of the globe.
Those sales goals are somewhat optimistic, considering combined sales of Toyota’s Prius and the Civic Hybrid barely topped 42,000 cars in 2007, according to Automotive News. However its lower price, the increasing popularity of hybrids, stricter emissions laws and the likelihood of more congestion charges like London’s recently enacted Ł25 daily fee, 50,000 units may not be so far from the mark. The new smaller hybrid has a possible goal of sliding under the 100g/km CO2 mark. That figure equates to a combined cycle fuel efficiency of 4.2L/100km, or 56mpg US/67mpg Imperial.
Honda envisions the small global hybrid as part of a three-car range starting with the newest addition, with the Civic Hybrid in the middle and topped with a new hybrid based on the CR-Z concept (pictured). A company spokesman says all three models will be on sale by 2011, and the company expects hybrids to account for 400,000 to 500,000 of the company’s sales each year.
02-18-08, 05:58 PM
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"Although Honda was first to the mass-market with its Insight hybrid, the tiny form-factor made it less than practical for most buyers."
"Despite beating Toyota to the hybrid market with the launch of the Insight back in 1999"
"Despite beating Toyota to the hybrid market with the launch of the Insight back in 1999"
02-18-08, 07:51 PM
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The key will be uniqueness and practicality. The Insight had some unique styling but it was too small and too impractical. It was very efficient though. The Prius became popular with the 2nd gen model due to the unique styling, the roomy interior, the practicality and of course the efficiency.
02-18-08, 07:55 PM
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The key will be uniqueness and practicality. The Insight had some unique styling but it was too small and too impractical. It was very efficient though. The Prius became popular with the 2nd gen model due to the unique styling, the roomy interior, the practicality and of course the efficiency.
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02-19-08, 11:42 PM
#8
Yes but the Honda one will be cheaper than the next gen Prius so how much do you want to pay for mpg will be the question. (That and how big of a car and what amenities do you want).
02-20-08, 12:40 AM
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Yes but the Honda one will be cheaper than the next gen Prius so how much do you want to pay for mpg will be the question. (That and how big of a car and what amenities do you want).
as for the cheaper honda...its hard to say if that will steal sales from the prius. its all about image now, and if toyota can keep the image of the prius, then it will continue to sell well. its an icon for being green now. if hybrid buyers bought cars based on price, then they wouldnt by the 24K prius but the 15K corolla or matrix
02-20-08, 04:07 AM
#10
Size
This thing is supposed to be smaller than the Civic so I think that that would cut down on some cross shopping w/ the Prius. They admit that the size and therefore the lack of practicality of the Insight was a problem so I hope that they do no repeat it here but I can never figure out Honda's logic.
If this thing is smaller than the Prius & gets worse MPG, I do not see it being a big success. The hybrid CR-X, however, is such a different animal that I would think that it would do better ...
If this thing is smaller than the Prius & gets worse MPG, I do not see it being a big success. The hybrid CR-X, however, is such a different animal that I would think that it would do better ...
02-20-08, 08:22 AM
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I'm not so sure this new Honda hybrid will conquest too many Prius sales. If it's smaller than a Civic (which is already smaller than a Prius) then it will certainly have more limited practicality compared to a Prius.
02-20-08, 05:58 PM
#13
So say a hybrid for the price of a Fit Sport wouldn't be too bad actually (it's about Cdn$20k right now. Funny thing is that the 2009 Corolla LE is priced at Cdn$19,900).
08-05-08, 06:26 AM
#15
Under $18,500
2010 Honda Insight to List from Below $18,500
Despite the popular belief that the Toyota Prius was the first hybrid vehicle sold in the Unites States, the Honda Insight actually holds that title. The Insight was never a sales success, and was eventually discontinued. This time around, Honda is convinced it will have a winner on its hands, and thanks to some new pricing information, we feel the same way.
Priced below the Honda Civic, this Japanese-built hybrid will carry over much of the hatchback styling from the FCX.
In addition to recycling the Insight name, Honda will equip the new hybrid with the same 1.3L Integrated Motor Assist system found in the current-generation Honda Civic Hybrid. However, further development of the system will cut the IMA’s cost by about 50 percent in the new hybrid, according to Next Energy News.
Although the new Insight will be loosely based on the Fit, it will measure in at 3 inches longer and 1 inch wider than the Fit.
One Honda insider told Edmunds the Insight’s fuel economy would be “insane,” with some Japanese sources predicting mileage as high as 71 mpg. Actual mileage will likely be lower when it hits our shores, but should still be impressive.
And if those lofty fuel-economy numbers weren’t enough to cause an instant waiting list for the new hybrid, the next-generation Insight will list from under $18,500 – undercutting the Toyota Prius by thousands of dollars.
The new Insight is expected to debut at the Paris Motor Show, but Honda could also wait until November’s Los Angeles Auto Show. Whatever the case, the new five-door hybrid should hit U.S. Honda dealers early next year.
Honda hopes to build 200,000 units annually, with half of that production to be sold in the United States. Look for the new Honda hybrid to arrive at dealerships here in the States in mid- to late-2009.
Despite the popular belief that the Toyota Prius was the first hybrid vehicle sold in the Unites States, the Honda Insight actually holds that title. The Insight was never a sales success, and was eventually discontinued. This time around, Honda is convinced it will have a winner on its hands, and thanks to some new pricing information, we feel the same way.
Priced below the Honda Civic, this Japanese-built hybrid will carry over much of the hatchback styling from the FCX.
In addition to recycling the Insight name, Honda will equip the new hybrid with the same 1.3L Integrated Motor Assist system found in the current-generation Honda Civic Hybrid. However, further development of the system will cut the IMA’s cost by about 50 percent in the new hybrid, according to Next Energy News.
Although the new Insight will be loosely based on the Fit, it will measure in at 3 inches longer and 1 inch wider than the Fit.
One Honda insider told Edmunds the Insight’s fuel economy would be “insane,” with some Japanese sources predicting mileage as high as 71 mpg. Actual mileage will likely be lower when it hits our shores, but should still be impressive.
And if those lofty fuel-economy numbers weren’t enough to cause an instant waiting list for the new hybrid, the next-generation Insight will list from under $18,500 – undercutting the Toyota Prius by thousands of dollars.
The new Insight is expected to debut at the Paris Motor Show, but Honda could also wait until November’s Los Angeles Auto Show. Whatever the case, the new five-door hybrid should hit U.S. Honda dealers early next year.
Honda hopes to build 200,000 units annually, with half of that production to be sold in the United States. Look for the new Honda hybrid to arrive at dealerships here in the States in mid- to late-2009.