REPORT: Honda warming up to idea of electric vehicles
2010 Honda Insight EX – Click above for high-res image gallery
With offerings like the FCX Clarity and the Insight, it's been clear what technologies Honda favors for environmentally-friendly transportation. But a change in strategy conceded by CEO Takanobu Ito could see Honda focusing more energy on plug-in electric vehicles in the near future.
Although Honda takes the standpoint that battery technology has not progressed enough for widespread implementation in passenger vehicles, difficulty setting up hydrogen fueling stations have forced Japan's second largest automaker to reconsider its strategy. With regulations constricting, especially in California, Honda will reportedly be shifting its focus to electric vehicles for the American market as well as for Europe and its own home turf in Japan.
Gallery: Review: 2010 Honda Insight EX
[Source: Reuters]
Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)
Christian de Saint Preux 1:33PM (10/20/2009)
Fix the title.. should read ElectRRRic.
Reply
James 1:35PM (10/20/2009)
What the heck is electic anyways? A simple spellchecker would've caught the mistake.
RG 1:58PM (10/20/2009)
Why all the pirate hate Autoblog?
Ya left out the ARRRRRRRRR!!!
Coolio 2:39PM (10/20/2009)
C'mon everybody...do the ELECTIC slide....
dsharp23 4:49PM (10/20/2009)
im dis-electic
Nicolas 1:34PM (10/20/2009)
Report: Autoblog not warming up to spell checker.
Reply
stealthebeatles 1:38PM (10/20/2009)
Relating to the article, instead of any typos, this is kind of disappointing. While I don't know that science would ever progress far enough to make Hydrogen feasible, I know I'm not going to spend money on a vehicle with a battery that I have to plug in for half an hour after every 100 miles driven.
I take fairly frequent long trips, and when you can only afford one vehicle, that decision makes itself.
Reply
letstakeawalk 1:46PM (10/20/2009)
The science has proven that hydrogen is feasible, the problem is the infrastructure related to distributing hydrogen.
The automakers are poised to produce hydrogen fuel cell powered cars, but consumers need to know they will be able to refuel them. This applies to BEVs as well, the infrastructure of quick-chargers must also be built before consumers will be comfortable with them on long trips.
"However, the greatest challenge at present is to establish the necessary infrastructure. Daimler has announced that it will release the first electric and fuel-cell vehicles as early as 2010 despite some uncertainty as to whether customers will be able to fill or recharge these cars universally by that date. "The technology is in the starting blocks," said Dr. Dieter Zetsche in describing the planned market introduction. "It is now time for the energy providers and petroleum companies, to show proof of their commitment as well. We have been approaching possible partners and taking the initiative.”
http://www.fuelcelltoday.com/online/news/articles/2008-07/Daimler-and-UNEP-Call-for-Hydrog
spdracerut 2:02PM (10/20/2009)
Electric vehicles are not meant to be for everyone. It's like a truck is not meant for everyone, or a two-seater is not meant for everyone.
I typically only drive 14 miles a day at MOST. An electric vehicle would be more than sufficient for me.
Hybridthry84 2:04PM (10/20/2009)
Hopefully they will look into extended range EVs like the Chevy volt so being forced to stop and recharge wouldn't be a problem.
Vlad 2:11PM (10/20/2009)
ER vehicles like the Volt are a temporary solution to the real problem: battery technology still sucks, and it's lagged behind other tech in terms of advancement.
Invisible 2:26PM (10/20/2009)
hum, and extended range.
provided by a Honda generator.
badumpdump!!
Coolio 2:56PM (10/20/2009)
"I know I'm not going to spend money on a vehicle with a battery that I have to plug in for half an hour after every 100 miles driven"
Get a Volt then. No range anxiety. No plugging in every 100 miles.
polo 3:20PM (10/20/2009)
awwwww @ stealththebeattles. You can't afford to stop for half an hour between every 3 hour drive. Should we feel sorry for you, or send an urgent fax to Honda?
"The science has proven that hydrogen is feasible"
Show me a $50K hydrogen car that is a real car and is for sell in the next 3 years. You can't, but I'm sure you'll post out some that cost from $300K-to-$2milli. Hydrogen cars are possibl"ish", they're just extremely, extremely expensive, and will require extremely, extremely expensive infrastructure development on top of that. Its just not economically feasible, however their is a big government payout if you tinker with it in the lab, hence we press releases and million-dollar hydrogen prototypes.
Hybridthry84 6:42PM (10/20/2009)
"ER vehicles like the Volt are a temporary solution to the real problem"
That's what great about extended range EVs though. They are the perfect transition from ICE to EV. A range extender makes EVs usable until battery technology can advance to the point where they have enough range and quick enough recharge time to allow the internal combustion engine/generator to be done away with. But until that time, there need to be range extenders on EVs so people don't have to worry about running out of power and being stuck waiting for it to recharge. Instead you just find a regular gas station and fill up. Plus ER EVs allow for many different types of range extenders (petrol, diesel, hydrogen) without having to really change the EV portion of the vehicle. Full electric cars are certainly the ultimate goal but until batteries advance a lot, in my opinion ER EVs are the way to go.
neptronix 2:40PM (10/20/2009)
*pop* .. that's the sound of Honda pulling their head out of their butts.
This could mean for a turnaround for Honda, who have not been doing anything really interesting since the 90's, other than this hydrogen experiment.
I want to see them succeed very badly. Maybe i am just hanging on to the past as a Honda fanboy, but i miss their zest and unconventionality.. I hope this is a sign that someone over there still has a pulse.
Reply
monkeykat2 3:16PM (10/20/2009)
That typo has managed to stay up there a long time.
Reply
br4nd0nh347 5:00PM (10/20/2009)
I think this typo can actually be two things.
ElectRic
or
EClectic - (def.)
1. selecting or choosing from various sources.
2. made up of what is selected from different sources.
eithe rway it's spelled wrong, but let's not dwell on that.
Reply
br4nd0nh347 5:01PM (10/20/2009)
Great, don't kill me on the typo.
Luso 5:00PM (10/20/2009)
Might as well jump to the next generation of propulsion!?!?!
http://www.carnorama.com
Reply