Honda CEO: New Hybrid and Clean Diesel Vehicles in US and Canada by 2010
17 May 2006
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| Takeo Fukui. |
In his 2006 mid-year speech, Honda president and CEO Takeo Fukui outlined the three areas of global focus for the company over the next few years: (1) Establishing advanced manufacturing systems and capabilities in Japan and overseas; (2) Strengthening the foundation for overseas growth; and (3) Strengthening the commitment to reduce Honda’s environmental footprint.
For the US and Canada, this “2010 Vision” will result in the construction of new manufacturing plants, as well as the introduction of a new, low-cost hybrid and clean diesel vehicles, among other major initiatives.
The new hybrid. Honda confirmed that it is now developing a new dedicated hybrid vehicle “suitable for family use” in major automobile markets in the world. With this new dedicated hybrid vehicle, Honda believes it will offer a major cost reduction, enabling the company to offer the vehicle in 2009 at a price level lower than the Civic Hybrid.
The all-new dedicated hybrid vehicle, including the hybrid unit, will be produced at Suzuka Factory in Japan. The worldwide sales plan is approximately 200,000 units per year that includes projected North American sales volume 100,000 units.
Clean diesel. Honda is now developing a cleaner next-generation 4-cylinder diesel engine based on the successful diesel engine currently sold in Europe. This engine will meet the Tier2 Bin 5 emission standard.
Honda plans to introduce this super-clean diesel engine to market within the next three years. Honda will also work on developing a clean V6 diesel engine.
CO2 and fuel economy. While improving the fuel efficiency of gasoline engines with Advanced VTEC, Advanced VCM, and other technologies, Honda will expand application of hybrid technology to smaller size vehicles and diesel technology to medium-to-large size vehicles. Thorough leveraging the characteristics of each technology, Honda will accelerate its effort to reduce CO2 emissions.
In the US, Honda will seek to achieve top-level fuel economy for existing models with the aim of improving Honda’s Corporate Average Fuel Economy (CAFE) by 5% in 2010, from its 29.2 mpg 2005 model year CAFE rating for passenger cars and light trucks.
This effort includes the previously announced commitment to introduce within the next two years a more advanced version of Honda’s four-cylinder i-VTEC technology with up to a 13% improvement in fuel efficiency over 2005 levels, and a more advanced Variable Cylinder Management (VCM) technology for six-cylinder engines with up to an 11% improvement in fuel efficiency.
In 2000, the global average of CO2 exhaust emissions among Honda automobiles was 179.5g/km. Despite increased sales of larger-size vehicles such as SUV and minivans, average CO2 emissions dropped by 5% during the five year period up to 2005.
Honda is now targeting a further reduction of 5% or more, aiming to accomplish a total 10% reduction by 2010 compared to the level of 2000. Honda will also work toward a 10% reduction both for motorcycles and power products.
Honda’s global average of CO2 emissions to produce one automobile also declined by approximately 5% during the five year period up to 2005. The company is working toward a further reduction by 5% or more by 2010 to achieve a total reduction of 10% compared to the level of 2000.
Honda has thus become the first automaker in the world to announce global CO2 reduction goals for its products and production activities.
Other product initiatives. For its motorcycles, Honda plans to install fuel injection on the majority of new motorcycles worldwide by the end of 2010 and to introduce new engine technologies including super-low friction engines (fuel economy improvement of 13%) and VCM systems for motorcycles (fuel economy improvement of 30%).
Honda reiterated its commitment to fuel cell technology. It is developing a new model based on the current FCX Concept, and will unveil a driveable model in the fall. Honda plans to begin sales of this new fuel cell vehicle within the next three years.
Honda will also begin the production and sales of solar panels in fall of this year, within limited areas. Honda will begin mass production of the solar panel by establishing a production line with the annual capacity of 27.5 MW at Honda’s Kumamoto Factory in 2007.
Based on its manufacturing and product expansion plans worldwide and other initiatives, Honda envisions 2010 global unit sales of more than 4.5 million units for automobiles, 18 million units or more for motorcycles, and 7 million plus units for power products.
That is phenominal, made my day about Honda's interest in diesels. Only a matter of time before merging diesel with hybrid--finally.
Posted by: dave | 17 May 2006 at 04:44 AM
Although the fuel economy improvements are rather modest compared to the potential of PHEV (plug-in hybrids), it's great to see a private company commit themselves to targets like these. Let's hope new generations of cars don't gain enough weight to neutralize the increase in engine efficiency.
If only people would drive Civics for commuting rather than giant trucks.
Thomas
Posted by: Thomas Pedersen | 17 May 2006 at 06:07 AM
Publicizing CO2 reduction targets is outstanding PR for Honda! Scrapping the TV commericials of their ecosystem damaging 'recreational' ATVs would get some mileage, too.
Posted by: fyi CO2 | 17 May 2006 at 07:27 AM
Looks like Honda is getting serious about improving fuel economy across the board ... I hope Toyota is also serious. So far, most of their new models feature improved fuel economy, so this is encouraging.
A V6 diesel from Honda ... who would have thought. They've yet to make a production V8, yet are already thinking about a V6 diesel.
This clean diesel engine should be very interesting in comparison to Toyota's Clean Power D4-D diesels.
Posted by: toyo | 17 May 2006 at 08:41 AM
This is, of course, per vehicle, so does not necessarily translate into overall co2 reduction. To make this meaningful, it should be mandated across the board for all automakers.
Posted by: t | 17 May 2006 at 08:42 AM
Big deal!! GM still out spends Honda in advertising it's "Green" technology!
Posted by: dursun | 17 May 2006 at 11:49 AM
Honda is engine maker that also produces cars. When they decided to build a diesel, they had the luxury of starting with a clean slate and did a great job. The also came up with a really good quirky ad for it:
http://www.greencarcongress.com/2004/12/ldquohate_somet.html
Note: a V6 diesel is a really heavy beast, but suitable for pickup trucks and SUVs. What surprises me is their confident assertion that they will be able to meet Tier 2 Bin 5, which calls for just 0.07 g/mi NOx amd 0.01 g/mi PM. Achieving one of those values is possible today, but hitting the other as well requires a DPF (plus high EGR levels and increased fuel consumption) or else an NOx store or SCR catalyst to clean up the NOx. There have been R&D successes with diesel HCCI combustion in part load, but AFAIK so far it is not yat in series production in four-stroke engines.
Posted by: Rafael Seidl | 17 May 2006 at 01:19 PM
By "new dedicated hybrid vehicle", do they mean a vehicle built to be a hybrid from the ground up (like the Prius)?
That would be great, especially if they make it a full hybrid.
Posted by: Michael G. Richard | 17 May 2006 at 02:28 PM
Yay! Go Honda!
Posted by: John W. | 18 May 2006 at 12:19 AM
An ad isn't going to increase fuel economy. Actions speak louder than focus-group-tested words.
Posted by: Icelander | 18 May 2006 at 10:26 AM
Insight (V3 engine) was just a market experiment while Accord Hybrid (V6 engine) was meant for performance lovers.
Both vehicles did not do well. Only Civic Hybrid (V4 engin) is doing well. I hope the new Honda Hybrid will go for V4 engine with maximum mileage and atleast 4 seats.
Goodluck Honda.
Posted by: Max Reid | 18 May 2006 at 08:06 PM
In 2009 Honda will be where Toyota is today. In 2008 they will only be selling two hybrids. The Hybrid Civic and the hybrid Accord.
No Insight, no hybrid CRV or Hybrid Fit. Sorry.
Posted by: hampden wireless | 18 May 2006 at 09:44 PM
Diesel plu hybrid should get close to 80 MPG or better...
Posted by: Anthony Austin | 18 May 2006 at 11:07 PM
max, afaik, both the insight and civic have inline, as opposed to V, engines.
Posted by: lensovet | 22 May 2006 at 10:48 AM
Whatever one's critique of Honda or specific products, it is clear they are taking a leadership position in fuel economy and engine technology. I love my Prius, but someday I will find my way back into a Honda... I like the feeling of driving them, the ergonomics, and their leadership on the environment is very inspiring.
Posted by: Lance Funston | 22 May 2006 at 03:53 PM
I drive a Honda Civic Hybrid. I love Hondas, but I would be driving an Insight or a Prius if I had the dough. I'm hoping Toyota's next Prius will actually give 100mpg as the rumor goes.
Where is the 200mpg car?
.25 lb/hp-hr x 6 lb./gallon=24 hp-hr to go 200 miles at 60mph. This is 7 hp. at 60mph. Only by extreme reduction of drag and mass can this be done, but it can be done. If anybody has any money, they ought to do it. A working vehicle that meets this requirement ought to shame the makers into doing something. Ought to, but probably won't.
Posted by: rich easton | 23 May 2006 at 12:35 AM
A comment for Rich and others who believe they can out-engineer the US and worldwide auto industry: give it a try. If you honestly believe that you can make a vehicle which is radically lighter with less aero drag and lower parasitic losses, while meeting reasonable safety requirements, please do it. However, you will not be able to. I get the impression that many people believe the auto companies are populated by a bunch of idiots. Well, you are wrong. The laws of physics don't bend, and the engineers and scientists, and even the designers, at Ford, GM, DCX, Honda, Toyota, etc., know these laws very well indeed. If any of them could come up with a 200 mpg car, they'd do it immediately. There are no "200 mph carburetors" out there being squelched by the conspiracy of auto companies! But to make you feel better, what they won't do even if they could, is make a car that lasts, on average, more than 10 years, since they want to keep sales alive.
Posted by: Roy | 23 May 2006 at 07:54 AM
The only way out of this mess is combined cycling, waste heat recovery. Either BMW or Mercedes Benz, can't remember, is working on a Rankine (steam) bottoming cycle, and I'd think the Stirling cycle would work admirably as well. All this combined with hybrid battery power/energy density breakthru (much earier said than done), possibly ultracapacitors, light cars, good aerodynamics, full hybrid w solar, grid batt. charging assits, diesel Miller/Atkinson cycling etc., etc. - the list is endless - should eventually result in vehicles the oil Co.'s will pay you to drive.
Of course talk is cheep.
Posted by: Andy Eppink | 23 May 2006 at 09:47 AM
I'm not that interested in a 200 mpg car if I can get a 100 mpg car. If I drive 12,000 miles/year, the 100 mpg car uses 120 gallons, the 200 mpg car uses 60 gallons. So I save 60 gallons- great, but what did it cost me? What safety, utility, and comfort did I give up? My present car gets maybe 15 mpg. (yeah, it sucks. it's all short trip, stop and go) That would be 800 gallons/year. Going to 100 mpg from that is a huge difference. Going from 100 mpg to 200 mpg is not that big a difference.
Honda is a great company. They have a multi-decade history of great products. When you compare them to GM, Ford, or DC, it's pretty sad.
Posted by: George | 23 May 2006 at 08:24 PM
Dear Honda:
We viewed the movie An Inconvenient Truch and are needless to say disgusted with GM and Ford. Originally, I am from the mid-west and believe in loyalty to the car industry in MI, because they provided jobs for a lot of people, but I have owned 3 Honda's due to the poor quality and poor use of gas with the GM and Ford vehicles. I love my Honda and even have talked others into purchasing them. All of them are happy too!. My husband has always owned Honda vehicles.
The reason as to why I am writing is to state that we would love to have an elecric vehicle. We plan on purchasing a hybrid, but after seeing the movie and seeing how efficient the electric cars are, we would love to purchase them. I already wrote to GM and Ford and told them that no matter what they market and how inexpensive their vehicles would be, we would not purchase anything from them due to the fact that they had an electric vehicle and chose to pull it off of the market due to greed. I believe that there are many of us who would in fact purchase an electric vehicle, but there are none available. We, who are not powerful and influential feel hopeless, but I hope that by writing, that this will be a tiny step in the proper direction. Thank you for your time and consideration. Be assured that the American people are not as stupid as we seem. We truly want to get off of oil, save our environment, and let other people make money, rather than the greedy, greedy, oil people. Make us Proud. Thannk you!
Posted by: Kat | 02 August 2006 at 11:31 AM
Kat,
Your attitude is naive as anyone having even a rudimentry knowlege of engineering can attest. The problem with electric vehicles is the battery, specifically its current lack of adequate energy/power density. Not greed.
As anyone can plainly see a number of corporations are little more than pirates. H___, they even make the shenanigans of a lot of the unions look good, but this electric vehicle brouhaha isn't one of them. The problem is that a lot of people will believe anything. Believe me, politicians depend on that fact, esp. among the lawyers and leftists.
Andy Eppink
Posted by: Andy Eppink | 03 October 2006 at 09:19 PM
Apparently, the battery is not a problem if you are like most people who commute less than 40 miles round trip each day. From what I understand, those EVs built ten years ago in CA are still running - the ones that have not been crushed by GM that is.
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