Honda skeptical of EV future, doesn't "recommend them"

Even though the Nissan Leaf has now recorded well over 17,000 pre-orders on its way to a claimed 25,000 by year's end, Honda Motor Company is still not convinced that the electric bandwagon is going to take off anytime soon. The company still believes that certain annoyances will drive consumers away from electric vehicles, at least for now. The annoyances, limited range and long recharging times, have been discussed at great lengths, but Honda remains skeptical of the EVs potential to overcome these obstacles. You don't have to take our word on this. Here's snippets of a Bloomberg interview with Honda's president of research and development Tomohiko Kawanabe:

We lack confidence in the electric-vehicle business. It's questionable whether consumers will accept the annoyances of limited driving range and having to spend time charging them. We are definitely conducting research on electric cars, but I can't say I can wholeheartedly recommend them.

Recommended or not, Honda probably needs to develop electric vehicles like the EV-N Concept (above) to stay in line with the competition. If the EV market takes off and Honda still has nothing to offer, the company will be years behind many of its main competitors, a grim situation to be in.

[Source: Bloomberg]