Honda president Takeo Fukui has been known to downplay the future role of plug-in cars in the automotive marketplace even as his company plays up the fuel cell technology that he claims will be available for the masses by 2018 (even if it will be somewhat expensive). In a recent interview to Chinese website auto.163.com, he said that EV tech is still "immature" with the main problem being the batteries. He thinks that current electric cars can only achieve a 100 km (62 mile) range and that makes mass production and commercialization difficult. Not dissuaded by the CEO's position on EVs, the interviewer went on to ask what he thought of BYD's electric vehicle R&D efforts, Fukui replied that they weren't very good. Ouch.
While it's possible that Fukui-sama hasn't been informed about the 244-mile range achieved by the Tesla Roadster or, indeed, of the 120-mile range achieved by an efficiently-shaped Aptera, we suspect that his mind is made up and Honda will stick with its hydrogen hopes and upcoming hybrid. At least while he remains at the helm.
While it's possible that Fukui-sama hasn't been informed about the 244-mile range achieved by the Tesla Roadster or, indeed, of the 120-mile range achieved by an efficiently-shaped Aptera, we suspect that his mind is made up and Honda will stick with its hydrogen hopes and upcoming hybrid. At least while he remains at the helm.
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[Source: Gasgoo]
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