Honda to Announce Plans for Plug-in Hybrid and Electric Car

So the final shoe is dropping.

"Honda Reportedly to Announce Plans for Plug-in Hybrid and Electric Car Tuesday" Green Car Advisor
http://blogs.edmunds.com/greencaradvisor/2010/07/honda-reportedly-to-announce-plans-for-plug-in-hybrid-and-electric-car-tuesday.html

After fruitlessly chasing the hydrogen mirage, Honda is climbing on the electric bandwagon. They know, otherwise, Honda will be history.

Honda Motor Co. will announce Tuesday that it is working on a hybrid car that can be recharged at home and an all-electric car, both for release in about three years, The Nikkei subscription newspaper learned today.

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This follows recent news of Honda stopping the sale of iconic Civic in gas only form in Japan. I hope this is the beginning of the end of ICEage. :lol:

Honda is still fighting electric.

http://www.cleveland.com/business/index.ssf/2010/08/consumers_need_to_see_a_person.html

At the Center for Automotive Research's annual Management Briefing Seminars, Honda environmental and energy strategist Robert Bienenfeld said that in most ways, electric vehicles are inferior to traditional cars. They're either more expensive, have shorter ranges, are less reliable or all of the above.

"The one way they are better than traditional vehicles is a social benefit, not a personal benefit," Bienenfeld said, adding that electric vehicles produce fewer emissions, reduce dependency on foreign oil and improve air quality. The person driving the electric vehicle pays the price, but everybody gets those benefits.

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evnow said:

Honda is still fighting electric.

... Bienenfeld said that in most ways, electric vehicles are inferior to traditional cars. They're either more expensive, have shorter ranges, are less reliable or all of the above.

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I guess it all depends on where you live and how you use your vehicle. For me, in California (with our great state and local rebates), the LEAF will be the same, if not more inexpensive than an ICE. My commute is 1.5 miles each way, so range-schmange. And, I want to know....how the heck are EVs less reliable? Because you might actually have to use your brain and plan ahead if you need to take a longer trip? I think Honda is just jealous that Nissan beat them to the punch.

@cinmar: With that short a commute ... you're not really benefiting yourself or the earth. I am not one to advocate for you to drive unneeded miles, and everyone must make their own personal choices, of course, but you should let your spouse commute in the LEAF (and plug in to 120V during the work day to make it back home if necessary). Sorry ... no criticism intended ... just thinking practical here. (and depending on weather ... bicycle to work or take the smart)

LEAFer said:

(and depending on weather ... bicycle to work or take the smart)

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I've been wondering about that too. My wife's commute is a little longer than mine. I'm wondering whether I should get an electric bike for my shorter commute and let her drive Leaf - atleast on days it isn't raining here (about 60 a year !).

LEAFer said:

@cinmar: With that short a commute ... you're not really benefiting yourself or the earth. I am not one to advocate for you to drive unneeded miles, and everyone must make their own personal choices, of course, but you should let your spouse commute in the LEAF (and plug in to 120V during the work day to make it back home if necessary). Sorry ... no criticism intended ... just thinking practical here. (and depending on weather ... bicycle to work or take the smart)

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None taken. Would love to bike. Issue is that I have a 6 mo. old I pick up on the way home. Due to my short commute, and my husband's 45 miles each-way commute, for now he gets the benefit of better mileage in the smart, and I have a safer car for the baby's car seat. Although my work commute is super short, I frequently visit places across town, like the baby's doctor or Costco - 4 miles away (I know, it's a big box, but I can't help myself), or the grocery store (although I try my best to buy stuff at farmer's markets). Unfortunately, Stockton is very sprawled out, so it's hard to get general services near one's house without a car, even though I live in a historic area.

Once we get the LEAF, my husband might try driving to work, but I don't know if I can talk him into parking 5+ blocks away to charge it while he's at work. He's a sommelier in a restaurant, and often works long/late hours. I don't see him being too thrilled to walk 5+ blocks when he's been on his feet all day, and gets off late. We'll see...

edit to add - We were going to buy a new car anyway when I reserved the Leaf. We were looking at a Prius, but changed to the Leaf, as we had been dreaming of the day we could buy an all electric car we could afford.

Using brain to plan ahead?

What a great idea, ... but ...
aren't we too dumb to be able to plug in an extension cord?

Gee, I don't know, I forgot the answer ...
What was the question again?

I spoke with a Honda Salesman in Norwalk,CT yesterday. And he Confidently stated that Honda's Goal is HYDROGEN! No Plug in Stuff or EV other than the hybrids they already have.

Thats too bad!

CTKevin

2006 Honda Civic Hybrid ( 70k +)
2003 Honda Civic Hybrid (up to 50k)
Leaf Owner Sometime in 2011

CTKevin said:

I spoke with a Honda Salesman in Norwalk,CT yesterday. And he Confidently stated that Honda's Goal is HYDROGEN! No Plug in Stuff or EV other than the hybrids they already have.

Thats too bad!

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Do you mean it thats too bad that the Honda salesman doesn't know or did you actually believe him ?

http://www.hybridcars.com/news/honda-continues-cng-powered-civic-shadow-hybrids-and-evs-28596.html

“The plug-in hybrid will be the size of the Honda Accord or larger,” Hardey said. There’s no chance that Honda will develop a new dedicated model that runs on CNG. On the other hand, according to Hardey, Honda will start its electric and plug-in hybrid program with existing platforms, and then “quickly move to dedicated vehicles.” That speaks volumes about the future direction of CNG versus EV in the new green car landscape.

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The plug-in hybrid will be the size of the Honda Accord or larger

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Larger than the Accord? Good grief, the latest version is already like a Lincoln Town Car. They really ruined it.

LTLFTcomposite said:

The plug-in hybrid will be the size of the Honda Accord or larger

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Larger than the Accord? Good grief, the latest version is already like a Lincoln Town Car. They really ruined it.

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I was surprised to see that too - unless they mean some van or SUV.