Honda pondering plug-in hybrid as response to U.S. policy changes?
"We are thinking about plug-in hybrids, but we aren't thinking about commercializing one right away." This is what Honda's President Takeo Fukui said in a recent interview. The automaker, which is leasing hydrogen cars in the U. S. and Japan, thinks of hydrogen as the long-term solution, but competitors and new automotive policies coming out of the White House are forcing the Japanese marque to rethink its policy. The new regulations might be the most important for Honda, because the Obama presidency has yet to say something big about hydrogen cars but speaks about tax breaks for plug-in hybrids and $25 billion in low-cost federal loans for production of advanced technology vehicles. Honda already has a joint-venture to produce batteries, albeit designated for hybrid use, that could be used to produce PHEVs in the future, Fukui said.
[Source: Bloomberg]
Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)
Derk McRockgroin 7:31PM (4/27/2009)
Finally. They are thinking about it!
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Mike!!ekiM 8:08PM (4/27/2009)
They'd better start thinking about it. When Exxon-Mobile expects Chinese gas consumption to increase 300% by 2030, they'd better be thinking about PLUGS.
They should have been selling us a car with a plug today. Maybe they could buy the plans for the EV1?
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jharlan 8:21PM (4/27/2009)
A PHEV is the final solution for me. It's a no brainer. The fact that no manufacturer is offering one tells me I need to boycott them until they provide the product I want. The first to provide the car the people want will be laughing all the way to the bank. Those who try to force us into cars we don't want, chapter 11.
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BoneHeadOtto 8:36AM (4/28/2009)
PHEV will be a great solution but the final solution is pure electric. But the battery tech is not there yet and that is why we dont have pure electrics that are not golf carts. But that is the same reason we dont have PHEVs. Currently the kits suck, and there are technical hurdles to making a production vehicle. Mainly battery cost and weight.
And just because you provide the car everyone wants, doesnt mean you will make money or avoid chapter 11....cough...volt...cough
gorr 8:56PM (4/27/2009)
They are mix-up at the white house because they have to choose with what to power the corpses that make the economics exchange all over the world. It's an idiosynchracy related to the history of the bible and everyone on earth is unnable to choose and always end asking the top of the world what to do ??? So honda is just a limp religious leader, that's all.
I said years ago to power the corpses with biology and to power the cars and trucks by water electrolisis. I said it in the bible time and i repeat it again. That way it will be sustainable to live on earth for a tousand years or more. Maybe longer if we can manage to build towns under the ground all powered by water electrical generation and green algae foods to escape the ice ages that show-up naturally each few tousand years.
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stevezilla 9:40PM (4/27/2009)
um... what?
Jake 11:20PM (4/27/2009)
Aqua teen hunger force!!!
BoneHeadOtto 8:39AM (4/28/2009)
Posts from gorr always brighten my day. If only we could power the corpses of the earth with his ignorance....
gorr 5:06PM (4/29/2009)
My posts always fit one(1) individual in perticular, that's why im controlling the market for free unlimited fuel . If you don't understand, just realize that one single guy out there is feeling concerned by someone for maybe the first time of his life. That way it erase communist thinking . The head(empty unfortunatelly) of honda is saying that he asked the head of the world(barack ???) with what to power the cars forward now and later on ??
WHAT a communist he his. Why didn't he sell me, like i said to do, to sell me one (1) car powered to move forward by a water electrolyzer ???
He is and will always be a communist and remember that each and every communists will always end-up denying you of each and every rights that remain here on this silly cheap planet of misery.
Tohe 1:34AM (4/28/2009)
Aside from possible dark dealings, the only reason I could think of for Honda to be excited about hydrogen is range. The Honda Clarity gets 240miles on a full tank. In the event that I'm right in my assumption, then Honda is being short sighted, simply because they are not considering the emergence of more efficient, higher energy batteries.
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BoneHeadOtto 8:39AM (4/28/2009)
Posts from gorr always brighten my day. If only we could power the corpses of the earth with his ignorance....
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3PeaceSweet 9:30AM (4/28/2009)
Take the 3 cylinder IMA from the original Insight, lose a cylinder and turbo charge it.
Add a medium sized electric motor to the rear axle, increase the size of the battery pack and add a module of supercapacitors.
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Bill 9:59AM (4/28/2009)
Can you turbo-charge w/o requiring premium gasoline?
Throwback 10:36AM (4/28/2009)
Yes, My 2005 SAAB 9-3 Linear uses a 2.0 Turbo four and requires regular.
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Yanquetino 10:51AM (4/28/2009)
It wouldn't surprise me in the least if Honda is actually developing a super EV in stealth mode. The same goes for Toyota.
After all, if a top-of-the-line Tesla Model S will go 300 miles on a charge (60 more than the fool-cell Clarity), and be recharged to 80% in 45 minutes... what else would one need? Just imagine a Prius or an Insight with a similar EV drivetrain: they might go 400 miles before needing to plug in!
Nah... it is all a smokescreen to sideswipe those who have already announced their EVs (Nissan, Mitsubishi, Subaru, etc.). Toyota and Honda are not that dumb.
In fact, didn't Honda sign a joint agreement just four months ago with GS Yuasa to research, develop, and manufacture lithium-ion batteries?
http://world.honda.com/news/2008/c081217GS-Yuasa-and-Honda/
And isn't Toyota doing the same with Matsushita?
http://www.reuters.com/article/rbssConsumerGoodsAndRetailNews/idUST29132620080611
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Yikes 10:56AM (4/28/2009)
Do you guys not know Honda's history with electric vehicles.
Remember the EV plus from Honda.
http://img2.netcarshow.com/Honda-EV_Plus_1997_800x600_wallpaper_01.jpg
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Honda_EV_Plus
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Greg Blencoe 10:06AM (4/29/2009)
If Honda comes out with a plug-in battery vehicle, it will likely be very similar to the Toyota Prius plug-in hybrid which has a battery range of 12 miles.
The batteries needed for much longer travel ranges in plug-in hybrid vehicles (e.g. 40 miles) are simply too expensive, too heavy, and take up too much trunk and passenger space.
Furthermore, battery-only vehicles like the Toyota FT-EV, which is an ultra compact car with a 50-mile driving range, are only going to be purchased by a very small percentage of consumers.
Plug-in hybrid vehicles and battery-only vehicles with limited ranges can play a small role in solving the oil crisis.
However, hydrogen fuel cell vehicles are the ultimate solution. This is the only technology that can be scaled up globally and provide customers with the needed driving range, fueling time, passenger and trunk space, etc. at a cost the same as the vehicles on the road today when mass produced.
The hydrogen to power these vehicles will first come from natural gas. However, this will only be a bridge to hydrogen produced from wind and solar power.
To learn more about the truth about hydrogen fuel cell vehicles and plug-in battery vehicles, please read the following article which is titled "Top 25 things I wish President Barack Obama knew about hydrogen fuel cell cars and plug-in battery cars":
http://hydrogendiscoveries.wordpress.com/2009/03/25/top-25-things-i-wish-president-barack-obama-knew-about-hydrogen-fuel-cell-cars-and-plug-in-battery-cars/
Greg Blencoe
Chief Executive Officer
Hydrogen Discoveries, Inc.
"Hydrogen Car Revolution" blog
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