Honda sells its 300,000th hybrid, plans CR-Z for 2010

Honda has a long history with hybrid vehicles, selling its first fuel-saver, the Insight, way back in 1999 and beating Toyota's Prius to the American market by a couple of years in the process. Since then, the Japanese automaker has managed to move over 300,000 hybrid cars, a milestone that was achieved at the end of January.

In total, just over 17,000 Insights were sold over that car's short lifespan. Since then, Honda has added over 28,000 Accord Hybrids and over 255,000 Civic Hybrids to that figure. Somehow, we have a feeling that it will take Honda much less time to hit its next 300K, with sales of its latest Insight hybrid reportedly off to a very strong start and launch dates for the European and U.S. versions right around the corner.

In 2010, Honda plans to bolster its hybrid line further with a vehicle based on the CR-Z concept that was first seen back in 2007. This new vehicle will harken back to the old two-seat CRX and provide an aggressive, sporty alternative to the more practical 2009 Insight.

[Source: Honda]

PRESS RELEASE:

Honda Reaches 300,000 Units in Cumulative Global Sales of Hybrid Vehicles

TOKYO, Japan, February 18, 2009 - Honda Motor Co., Ltd. announced that global sales of Honda hybrid vehicles passed the 300,000-unit mark on a cumulative basis at the end of January 2009, since the introduction of the first-generation Insight in November 1999.

Honda began sales in Japan February 6, 2009, of the all-new Insight hybrid vehicle, a five-door hatchback model featuring a lightweight, compact hybrid system that achieves exceptional fuel economy at an affordable price. Sales of the all-new Insight is scheduled to begin in Europe and North America in March and April, respectively. Honda set annual sales targets of approximately 60,000 units in Japan, more than 30,000 units in Europe and approximately 100,000 units in North America. The annual global sales target is approximately 200,000 units.

Honda will further enhance its hybrid model lineup with the introduction of the all-new sporty hybrid vehicle, based on the CR-Z design concept model, in 2010, in the effort to achieve full-scale market penetration of hybrid vehicles.