Honda R&D President says automaker "lacks confidence" in viability of EVs

Carlos Ghosn and Nissan may be plowing head first into the EV world, but Honda isn't so certain buyers are going to be willing to accept the range and charging woes that go along with driving an all-electric car. Tomohiko Kawanabe, president of research and development for Honda, has been quoted as saying that while his company is currently researching the possibility of an EV, he isn't going so far as to recommend them. We're not sure whether that means he won't recommend his company produce an electric car of its own, or if he just wouldn't tell his mother to cruise on over to the Nissan dealer to pick up a Leaf.

Either way, we'll probably see some form of plug-in hybrid or EV from Honda within a few short years. California has mandated that a certain percentage of vehicle sales must be either plug-in hybrid or EV starting in 2012. Given Kawanabe's chilly assessment of the EV game, though, odds are we won't be seeing anything like the adorable all-electric EV-N Concept on our streets. Chances are cars like the CR-Z, Civic Hybrid and Insight will come with a plug-in option and larger batteries instead.

[Source: Bloomberg]