Other automakers not ready to take Toyota-like leap into hybrids

While Toyota made big proclamations about its hybrid plans last week, other manufacturers aren’t ready to make similar leaps. In response to Toyota, Ford states that it will add three additional hybrids to its lineup by 2008, and also states that “we’re not in a race with Toyota” (so much for our hopes of getting a hybrid Excursion). Honda, who already sells the Accord, Civic, and Insight hybrids, says that it currently has no plans to add another hybrid to its lineup and sees uncertain demand for hybrids beyond the 50,000 it’ll sell this year. Whoa – wait a minute. So Hondaisn’t planning any more hybrids, but they are thinking about a V8. Did I just step into some sort of alternate universe?

By eric@bryantperformance.com
Get Autoblog in your Google feed
Preferred SourceGoogle Discover

While Toyota made big proclamations about its hybrid
plans last week, other manufacturers aren’t ready to make similar leaps. In response to Toyota, Ford states that it
will add three additional hybrids to its lineup by 2008, and also states that “we’re not in a race with Toyota” (so
much for our hopes of getting a hybrid Excursion). Honda, who already sells the Accord, Civic, and Insight hybrids,
says that it currently has no plans to add another hybrid to its lineup and sees uncertain demand for hybrids beyond
the 50,000 it’ll sell this year. Whoa – wait a minute. So Honda isn’t planning any more hybrids, but they are
thinking about a V8. Did I just step into some sort of
alternate universe?