Electric Honda Fit hits the streets

Honda Fit EV concept – Click above for high-res image gallery

One month ago, we caught our first glimpse of the Honda Fit EV concept when the battery-powered vehicle took to the stage at the 2010 LA Auto Show. In less than thirty days, the electric Fit went from a showstopper to an on-the-road vehicle in Torrance, CA. That's right, Honda has quickly managed to ready its concept for real-world use. Okay, actually, the "first test drive" was brief and more of a publicity stunt than anything else, but Honda does promise that its Fit electric will take to the streets for real soon.

How soon? Well, how does the beginning of next year sound? According to Honda, real-world testing of the Fit EV will get underway in earnest in 2011. Stanford University, Google Inc. and the city of Torrance will each receive a single battery-powered Fit for evaluation purposes. In 2012, the city of Torrance will also get the keys to a prototype Accord sedan fitted with Honda's plug-in hybrid setup. Honda will use the real-world tests to collect data and make any changes to the Fit EV before its scheduled launch in 2012. The plug-in hybrid model should hit the market in 2013, though the automaker has been tight-lipped on this vehicle.