Honda Hits 100,000 Hybrids Mark

1 September 2005

American Honda announced that as of 31 August it has delivered 100,000 hybrid vehicles to retail customers since it began offering the gasoline-electric technology nearly six years ago.

Honda was the first to offer a hybrid vehicle in North America and the first to offer three distinct hybrid vehicles, the Insight, Civic Hybrid and Accord Hybrid. The 100,000-hybrid milestone combines sales of all three of Honda's hybrid vehicles starting with the first Insight sale in 1999.

Honda first introduced US consumers to hybrid technology with the Insight in December 1999. It launched its second hybrid vehicle, the Civic Hybrid, in March 2002, followed by the first-ever V6-powered hybrid, the Accord Hybrid, in December 2004.

An all-new version of the Civic Hybrid will appear this fall featuring a new hybrid system and enhanced performance. (Earlier post.)

All Honda’s hybrids are based on the Integrated Motor Assist (IMA) hybrid technology. The IMA system employs an ultra-compact electric motor/generator to provide supplemental power to the engine using energy captured during deceleration or braking.