ID :
76570
Sun, 08/23/2009 - 19:35
Auther :
Shortlink :
https://oananews.org//node/76570
The shortlink copeid
Honda to introduce electric vehicle in U.S. in early 2010s
+
TOKYO, Aug. 22 Kyodo -
Honda Motor Co. will join two domestic rivals in introducing electric cars,
seeking to market the environmentally friendly vehicles in the United States in
the first half of the 2010s, sources familiar with the matter said Saturday.
Honda is planning to begin full-fledged development of electric vehicles for
the U.S. market, where environmental regulations are expected to be tightened,
the sources said. It will also consider marketing them in Japan in the future,
they said.
Two other major Japanese automakers have already announced plans to introduce
electric cars. Toyota Motor Corp. plans to sell EVs in the United States from
2012 while Nissan Motor Co. is seeking to begin mass-production of such
vehicles in 2010 for release in the Japanese, European and U.S. markets.
Honda has begun development of EVs around the size of light to small cars
equipped with a motor and batteries at its group's technological development
base in Tochigi Prefecture, and is believed to be planning to present a
prototype at the Tokyo Motor Show this fall, according to the sources.
The development comes in response to calls for more eco-friendly vehicles,
including the state of California urging automakers with high sales volumes to
enhance marketing of zero-emission cars.
Honda and Toyota have led the field in the development and marketing of
gas-electric hybrids with their popular Insight and Prius models, respectively,
but Honda has apparently determined the need to diversify its lineup of
eco-friendly cars by introducing EVs, the sources said.
But Honda will keep intact its plan to expand hybrid models in worldwide
markets, as a senior Honda official has said that even if the automaker sets
out on full-fledged development of electric cars, hybrids are likely to remain
at the core of its business until the prices of EVs come down and they become
as popular as hybrids.
Among other Japanese automakers, Mitsubishi Motors Corp. and Fuji Heavy
Industries Ltd. have already rolled out their own EVs -- the ''i-MiEV'' and the
Subaru Plug-in Stella, respectively -- earlier this summer.
==Kyodo
2009-08-22 23:29:12
TOKYO, Aug. 22 Kyodo -
Honda Motor Co. will join two domestic rivals in introducing electric cars,
seeking to market the environmentally friendly vehicles in the United States in
the first half of the 2010s, sources familiar with the matter said Saturday.
Honda is planning to begin full-fledged development of electric vehicles for
the U.S. market, where environmental regulations are expected to be tightened,
the sources said. It will also consider marketing them in Japan in the future,
they said.
Two other major Japanese automakers have already announced plans to introduce
electric cars. Toyota Motor Corp. plans to sell EVs in the United States from
2012 while Nissan Motor Co. is seeking to begin mass-production of such
vehicles in 2010 for release in the Japanese, European and U.S. markets.
Honda has begun development of EVs around the size of light to small cars
equipped with a motor and batteries at its group's technological development
base in Tochigi Prefecture, and is believed to be planning to present a
prototype at the Tokyo Motor Show this fall, according to the sources.
The development comes in response to calls for more eco-friendly vehicles,
including the state of California urging automakers with high sales volumes to
enhance marketing of zero-emission cars.
Honda and Toyota have led the field in the development and marketing of
gas-electric hybrids with their popular Insight and Prius models, respectively,
but Honda has apparently determined the need to diversify its lineup of
eco-friendly cars by introducing EVs, the sources said.
But Honda will keep intact its plan to expand hybrid models in worldwide
markets, as a senior Honda official has said that even if the automaker sets
out on full-fledged development of electric cars, hybrids are likely to remain
at the core of its business until the prices of EVs come down and they become
as popular as hybrids.
Among other Japanese automakers, Mitsubishi Motors Corp. and Fuji Heavy
Industries Ltd. have already rolled out their own EVs -- the ''i-MiEV'' and the
Subaru Plug-in Stella, respectively -- earlier this summer.
==Kyodo
2009-08-22 23:29:12
