REPORT: Honda hybrid Freed Minivan coming in two years, pure electric vehicle by 2015
Honda Freed minivan - click above for high-res image gallery
When Takanobu Ito became the new president of Honda Motor Company in February, we asked if he was the same as the old boss, Takeo Fukui. In at least one aspect, the two men are quite different. Fukui often downplayed the potential of electric cars, but Ito recently confirmed that the automaker will bring a full EV to market by 2015. Rumors suggest we'll see some sort of Honda EV prototype at the Tokyo Motor Show in October, but six years is a long time to see that hit the streets.
Speaking to the Nikkei (subs req'd), Ito also said that a hybrid version of the Freed minivan will join the CR-Z and Fit hybrids in the coming years. The reason for the push to get pure electric vehicles on the market is being driven by California's Zero Emission Vehicle regulations, so maybe plug-in fans will be able to say at least a little something nice about CARB for a change.
Gallery: Honda Freed 2008
[Source: Nikkei (subs req'd) via Green Car Congress]
Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)
Alan 3:51PM (9/08/2009)
HA!
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DasBoese 5:51PM (9/08/2009)
The reason for the push to get pure electric vehicles on the market is being driven by rising fuel costs, falling prices for advanced batteries and increasing public and political interest in sustainable mobility all over the WORLD, not just in fucking California.
From all I've read over the last few years, CARB has, if anything, has constantly undermined electric cars, favoring hydrogen and other such nonsense instead.
In any case, if they really wait until 2015 they'll be hopelessly late to the party.
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Serge 6:02PM (9/08/2009)
Interesting, especially if those 2nd and 3rd row seats fold flat a la Fit.
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jae_63 12:40PM (9/09/2009)
Finally! The high-mileage minivan that we've been waiting for!
I own a Prius and a Sienna, have 3 kids, and have been waiting for too long for this development. Goodbye Sienna, hello Honda Freed!
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Richard 5:49PM (9/09/2009)
Ever look at the Mazda5? Its about the same size as the Freed, with 22mpg city, 28mpg highway for cheap - at least in Austin, the one I was looking at this weekend was offered at under $17K (stick, but that's my preference anyway). Not the same as an electric of course, but pretty solid anyway for what you get.
jae_63 9:30PM (9/09/2009)
Thanks for your comments, Richard. I'm aware of the Mazda 5, and it looks OK, but as you say the average MPG is only 25. For me to sell my 2005 Sienna (19MPG) and make this jump, I need to see a much bigger change, to around 30 MPG. We obtained this quantitative 50% improvement when moving from a Camry to a Prius, even though the latter's a bit smaller.
A hybrid version of the Mazda 5 would probably meet this target, but Mazda isn't as far along on these technologies as Toyota&Honda.
I have lots of friends & contemporaries (many of who own Priuses) who feel the seem way and would gladly ditch their big minivans.
Jonathan