Honda project aims to fight global warming

The city of Saitama in Japan is teaming up with one of the country’s leading car manufacturers in a bid to fight global warming and realise a sustainable, low carbon society with electric vehicles.

Honda has joined forces with the city on the E-KIZUNA project, which will test the use of urban electric vehicles, plug-in hybrid vehicles and electric scooters with Honda also planning to test its Honda Smart Home System in the city next year – a comprehensive energy management system.

The Honda Smart Home System provides heat and electricity for the home and produces power for electric mobility. Honda also hopes to explore the system’s potential to produce electricity for the household in the event of a disaster.

It's overall aim is to reduce household CO2 emissions to half of 2000 levels by 2015. In particular it will focus on: creating a disaster-resistant city of the future through a variety of energy supplies and electric mobility; constructing an electric charging safety net; simulating demand and applying incentives such as promoting the shared use of electric scooters for commercial use; and tailoring education initiatives to local needs.

In addition, Honda has announced that it will begin sales of an all-new household micro combined heat and power gas engine cogeneration unit through gas utilities across Japan, this month. It will serve as the core unit of a household cogeneration system and burn natural or liquid propane gas to generate electricity and heat water.

Source;
http://www.thegreencarwebsite.co.uk/blog/index.php/2011/05/24/honda-project-aims-to-fight-global-warming/

NewCa.com: 2011 Honda's ASIMO at the Ontario Science Centre

Future Tech Watch: Automakers Try To Sell Government On Fuel Cell Cars

Honda's fuel cell electric car, the FCX Clarity, can go about 240 miles on a tank of hydrogen fuel. Compared with gasoline, that's about 60 miles to the gallon. The only emission is water so pure you could drink it.

The company has been building a limited number of these cars since 2005, so Honda was surprised when Secretary of Energy Steven Chu claimed it would take four technological miracles to make fuel cell cars viable in the marketplace.

"Simply put, he's wrong on those points. He has bad advice," Honda's Steve Ellis said at southeast Michigan's sole hydrogen fueling station. "Automakers are not foolish. We're not going to invest in technology that we see as a dead end."

The Clarity costs $600 a month to lease, but if you add in all of Honda's research and development costs, each one is probably worth tens of millions of dollars. Ellis says the costs are coming down, though — from the hydrogen fuel, which is made from natural gas, to the cost of the fuel cells. Producing them in volume will really bring the costs down, he says.

"Ten years ago, if we were looking under this hood, it would be like duct tape and baling wires," he says. "So it was all an engineering exercise. This car, we're handing the keys to customers, saying, 'Here's your car, see you in six months. Nothing to see here folks.' "

But the keys are being given only to people in southern California, where there's a cluster of hydrogen fueling stations, built with the help of state subsidies. Even if Chu changes his mind about the miracles, the price tag remains a problem.

Oliver Hazimeh of the management consulting firm PRTM says battery electric cars like the Volt and the Leaf are getting cheaper faster, which is why batteries are getting the nod from the government.

"By 2015, even five years from now, you will probably get a Nissan Leaf-type vehicle on the battery side for probably $25,000," he says. "That same vehicle in the fuel cell configuration will probably still be $45,000 to $50,000."

But fuel cell proponents say that's not a fair competition. The government spent more on battery electrics in just the past two years than it did on fuel cells over the past decade. James Warner, director of policy at the Fuel Cell and Hydrogen Energy Association, says cutting funding sends the wrong message to car companies developing fuel cell cars like Honda, GM, Toyota, Daimler and Hyundai.

"By all accounts, they are ready to commercialize these vehicles by 2015," he says.

Warner has a bigger worry than less federal funding. Under a continuing budget resolution, Chu has no mandate to spend anything at all on fuel cell technology.

"The secretary if he so chose could end these programs today," he says.

A statement from Chu suggests he is likely to stick with President Obama's proposed budget, which cuts research and development by about half, but eliminates funding for the commercialization of fuel cell cars. That means it could take even longer for people who don't live in southern California to get a hydrogen fuel cell car to drive.

Source;
http://www.npr.org/2011/04/19/135518929/automakers-try-to-sell-government-on-fuel-cell-cars

The greenest car you've (likely) never heard of

By Mira Oberman (AFP)

GREENSBURG, Indiana — The greenest car you've likely never heard of will soon be hitting Honda showrooms across the United States as the Japanese automaker expands sales of its compressed natural gas powered Civic.

Honda has been quietly winning green car awards for more than a decade as it cautiously introduced the Civic GX first to government and business fleet owners and then retail customers in a handful of test markets.

The nationwide retail launch set for this fall comes as US President Barack Obama pushes for wider adoption of fuel-efficient vehicles -- including mandating that all federal cars will need to run on alternative, hybrid or electric power by 2015.

Potential customers could also be lured by substantial cost savings as oil prices climb amid tensions in the Middle East and natural gas prices fall in the wake of major new discoveries in the United States.

But the Civic GX enters a crowded field where new plug-in hybrid and fully electric cars -- the Chevy Volt and Nissan Leaf -- are grabbing headlines and zippy new compact cars offer competitive fuel economy.

Honda's goals are relatively modest -- doubling sales to around 4,000 vehicles in the first year of national sales while Nissan is hoping to hit annual US sales of 20,000 Leafs -- but it still thinks the GX can compete.

"We're asking the GX purchaser to make far fewer sacrifices than any other alternative fuel vehicle," Eric Rosenberg, who heads Honda's alternative fuel vehicle program in the United States.

"When you compare it to the Volt or Leaf, it's the most affordable, it has the best range and it has the quickest refill."

The GX can drive up to 250 miles (403 kilometers) on a single tank and only takes a few minutes to fill at public or home fueling station.

The Leaf has a range of 62 to 138 miles (100 to 222 kilometers) depending on road conditions and takes 30 minutes to partially charge at a quick-charge station and seven to 20 hours using a standard 220 or 110 volt outlet.

GM's Volt can drive 25 to 50 miles (40 to 80 kilometers) on its battery before switching over to a gasoline-powered engine and takes four to ten hours to charge.

Honda's GX is also the cleanest car on the US market, according to the American Council for an Energy-Efficient Economy which looks at a vehicle's total environmental impact.

That's because natural gas is a clean-burning fuel. It consists primarily of methane and emits about 30 percent less carbon dioxide and 70-90 percent less smog-forming particulates than gasoline.

Electric cars may emit nothing from the tailpipe, but they have a significant carbon footprint because 45 percent of US electricity is generated by coal. Their batteries also carry a heavy environmental toll.

Realtor and property manager Irma Vargas bought her first Civic GX in 2006 to save on fuel costs and get access to carpool lanes -- a perk that can cut a 90-minute commute in half in congested Los Angeles.

"Me and my business partner bought it and were going to take turns with it because it was a new idea," Vargas said in a telephone interview.

"We found that we were fighting over it, so he ended up getting the next year's model."

Vargas sold the GX to an employee so she could upgrade to a new model in 2008 and has convinced four of her friends and customers to buy one as well.

She figures she's saved thousands of dollars on fuel costs -- she can fill her GX at home for about a dollar a gallon while it costs nearly four dollars a gallon to fill her Lexus hybrid, which she saves for long trips and big shopping excursions.

But it will be years before the GX or electric cars are sold in sufficient numbers to make a significant dent in greenhouse gas emissions, cautioned Lonnie Miller, an analyst at auto research firm R. L. Polk.

"If you look at the traditional batch of gas-electric hybrids, it's 2.6 percent of all US new vehicle registrations," he told AFP.

"CNG (compressed natural gas) and electric, they're not even registering."

It took six years for US consumers to embrace hybrids, which require only a few tradeoffs like a higher initial price tag and limited trunk space.

Like fully-electric cars, the Civic GX requires a much bigger tradeoff.

While owners can fuel up at home with relatively cheap unit called "Phil," long-range trips are essentially out of the question because there are only about 870 public fueling stations in the entire country.

The cost and environmental advantages of compressed natural gas will nonetheless help boost global sales by 9.1 percent a year to 3.2 million vehicles in 2016, according to a recent report by green tech consulting firm Pike Research.

The biggest growth -- 25 percent a year -- is forecast in the United States, fueled primarily by sales to corporate and government fleets which typically operate their own fueling stations.

Honda started with fleet sales in 1998 and offered the GX to retail customers in California and New York in 2005 as more fueling stations came online.

It expanded retail sales to Utah and Oklahoma in 2008 and 2009 as tax incentives in those natural-gas producing states drew more customers, but has only sold a little over 12,000 of the vehicles so far.

"The whole idea was for us as a company to learn how to retail the car," Honda's Rosenberg said. "It is a little different, it has a few idiosyncrasies."

The experience with the relatively-low cost GX will serve as a good model for the introduction of the holy grail of green cars -- the far more expensive and complex hydrogen fuel cell.

Honda was the first automaker to introduce a hydrogen fuel cell prototype in 1999 and began testing a small fleet with retail customers in 2005. It also plans to introduce a plug-in hybrid next year.

Source;

http://www.google.com/hostednews/afp/article/ALeqM5hCf_fLO4psJO3PVln1xGpzEXPVbQ?docId=CNG.8fcda49acdd6feab37caa2b17f3b1a60.261

Overview of Honda Exhibition at Auto Shanghai 2011

Honda Motor Co., Ltd. announced it will present an exhibit at Auto Shanghai 2011, which will be open to the press April 19-20 and to the general public April 21-28. The Honda display will feature hybrid vehicles, a battery electric concept vehicle, and other automobiles and electromotive technologies with the power to help reduce CO2 emissions.

Fit EV Concept battery electric vehicle
Themed “Mobility for the Earth,” the Honda exhibit will envision the low-carbon society of the future with a range of advanced environmental technologies. The first Integrated Motor Assist (IMA) hybrid system featuring a lithium-ion battery will make its world premiere, while the Fit EV Concept battery electric vehicle and Honda’s next-generation plug-in hybrid platform will further demonstrate the depth of Honda’s approach to environmentally responsible mobility. Honda will also display its two dedicated hybrid vehicles, the Insight and the CR-Z, which it plans to launch in China in 2012, as well as a selection of other production vehicles.

On the April 19 press day, Honda will hold press conferences at the Honda display at 9:00 a.m. and at the Acura display at 9:30 a.m. local time.

Overview of Honda and Acura displays

Honda

-Integrated Motor Assist (IMA) hybrid system featuring a lithium-ion battery (world premiere)
-Fit EV Concept battery electric vehicle (China premiere)
-Next-generation plug-in hybrid platform (China premiere)
-Fit Hybrid, Insight hybrid vehicle, CR-Z sport hybrid coupe
-Li Nian S1 compact sedan

Other Honda production vehicles

Acura

Models planned for launch in China
RL, TL, MDX

Source;

http://www.ttkn.com/business/overview-of-honda-exhibition-at-auto-shanghai-2011-10152.html

Honda says plug-ins will go 15 miles on battery

The new line of mid-sized plug-in hybrids that Honda Motor Co. aims to introduce next year will be able to travel up to 15 miles in electric-only mode, an executive says.

That would counter criticism that Honda's current hybrid technology is too weak to provide extended motor-only travel. The Integrated Motor Assist system used in the Honda Insight, Civic and CR-Z hybrids uses the electric motor mostly to assist the gasoline engine.

The new technology, which is scheduled to debut in 2012, is a two-motor system that runs on a lithium ion battery. The battery will be supplied through Blue Energy Co., Honda's battery joint venture with GS Yuasa Corp, said Hirohisa Ogawa, a chief engineer of battery research at Honda.
Ogawa, speaking at the International Rechargeable Battery Expo in Tokyo, said the new plug-ins would be able to run nine to 15 miles in electric-only mode.

Honda began testing the vehicles late last year, he added.

President Takanobu Ito has said his engineers are preparing to put the system in the Accord mid-sized sedan. Honda discontinued an earlier hybrid Accord, which was equipped with the Integrated Motor Assist system.

Source:
http://www.autoweek.com/article/20110308/GREEN/110309916#ixzz1GDO2bRWk

President and Director of Honda R&D Co. Ltd., Mr. Tomohiko Kawanabe, interviewed at Geneva Motor Show 2011

On Honda's R&D Strategy:

Honda has always been in the forefront of developing technologies which provide a positive contribution to people's lives and to society as a whole and this will never change.

So in our R&D activities, Honda will always strive to be a world leader in all manner of technologies which are really useful for mankind. This is nothing new - it was the philosophy of our founder Soichiro Honda - and it will continue to shape the direction of our R&D in the future.

On how Honda's sporting/racing heritage be incorporated in future models:

Motor racing and sports cars have always been an essential part of Honda's DNA. It's too early to talk about specific replacements for sporting models such as the Civic Type R, the S2000 and the NSX but you can be sure we are actively involved right now in evaluating and analysing just how our sporting DNA can be incorporated into our future model range.

On safety:

Honda has always been a leader in the field of safety technology and we intend to continue to lead in the future. Last year we received a Euro NCAP Advanced award for our CMBS - Collision Mitigation Brake System and of course this is a great honour. But for the future we believe that what we call "intelligent technology" will become more and more important in terms of automobile technology and so we have established the Honda Research Institute near Frankfurt whose specific brief is to develop these fundamental new technologies in collaboration with outside institutions such as Universities. So this is where we are directing our efforts in the field of automobile safety for the future.

On Honda's vision for sustainable mobility:

The whole concept of sustainable mobility is vitally important. In the short term our approach is to improve the efficiency of the internal combustion engine - both petrol and diesel engines - but this is not enough to really talk about sustainable mobility.

For that we need to think about renewable energies and also renewable energy carriers such as electricity or hydrogen to ensure that we can provide the most appropriate energy source for different requirements.

So therefore Honda is also putting a great deal of effort into developing these renewable energy technologies in an environmentally friendly manner. For example, Honda is already producing solar panels so we can produce electricity from solar energy and this energy can then be used to produce hydrogen very efficiently. We are also working on technologies to produce Ethanol as an energy carrier. So our approach is that it's not just the engine and powertrain that need to be optimised but we also have to think about the energy production side of the equation. When we reach that point, then we can really start talking about sustainable mobility.

Source;

http://www.hondanews.eu/en/news/index.pmode/modul,detail,0,1737-DEFAULT,21,text,1/index.pmode

Honda Engineer Douglas Longhitano Honored with the SAE

WARRENDALE, Pa., Feb. 10, 2011 — /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- Douglas C. Longhitano, senior engineer, Automotive Safety, Honda R&D Americas, Inc., was honored with the SAE International/InterRegs Standards & Regulations Award for Young Engineers during the SAE International 2011 Government/Industry Meeting, held earlier this year in Washington, D.C.

Established in 2000, this award recognizes a practicing engineer under the age of 40 who is involved in standards, regulations or conformity assessment systems which improved safety or reduced emissions in a ground vehicle mobility product. The nominee is required to author a 2,000 word essay detailing how this was achieved.

Since joining Honda in 1997, Longhitano's career has been dedicated to researching methods for mitigating crash related injuries, especially in the area of pedestrian protection. He has authored more than 20 technical publications related to crash injury mitigation and has presented many of his research findings at conferences such as ESV, the SAE World Congress, World Traffic Safety Symposium and SAE International Government Industry Meeting.

Longhitano earned the Ralph Boyer Young Achiever Award from the Ohio State University and the U.S. Government Award for Engineering Excellence from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration for his work automotive safety research. Longhitano is a 15 year member of SAE International and is active on the Human Biomechanics and Simulation Standards Steering Committee as well as the U.S. Technical Advisory Groups to ISO supporting crash injury mitigation related standards. He supports student research as an organizer for the Injury Biomechanics Symposium hosted annually at The Ohio State University and is a member of the Association for the Advancement of Automotive Medicine, the Central Ohio Impact Biomechanics Engineering Consortium, and the Center for Child Injury Prevention Studies - Industrial Advisory Board.

Longhitano holds a master's degree in Mechanical Engineering from The Ohio State University and a bachelor's degree in Mechanical Engineering from Case Western Reserve University.
SAE International is a global association of more than 128,000 engineers and related technical experts in the aerospace, automotive and commercial-vehicle industries. SAE International's core competencies are life-long learning and voluntary consensus standards development. SAE International's charitable arm is the SAE Foundation, which supports many programs, including A World In Motion® and the Collegiate Design Series.

Source;
http://www.centredaily.com/2011/02/10/2512661/honda-engineer-douglas-longhitano.html

ASIMO Humanoid Receives Honor as World’s Most Advanced Humanoid Robot

Honda’s ASIMO (Advanced Step in Innovative Mobility) humanoid robot has set a new world record and has been honored as the World’s Most Advanced Humanoid Robot.

The ASIMO humanoid is part of Honda’s R&D initiatives in robotics and human mobility fields. The robot was developed at Honda's R&D Wako Fundamental Technical Research Center before ten years.

All joints of ASIMO include 34° of Freedom, enabling the robot to effectively respond to the natural human motions. It can identify various objects as well as the landscape of its environment. It can understand easy verbal instructions, identify faces and evades mobile obstacles as it moves.

The company launched several applications in the iphone and smartphone (A ‘Run with Asimo’) enabling users to communicate with a virtual ASIMO robot on their mobile.

The Honda engineers worked for ten years to develop the latest version. The robot can now walk and run on all irregular surfaces. It can even climb staircases and stretch to grab objects.

The ultimate mission of Honda’ robotics department is to enable ASIMO to help humans for performing their daily tasks and to carry out risky operations.

Source;
http://www.azorobotics.com/details.asp?newsID=902

Honda R and D: Mind Contol a Car

This is a neat idea, but I think all we'd have to do is take the tech that Honda has developed for ASIMO and incorporate it into a R2 unit like below.... no?

Posted on: January 31st, 2011 by Hannah Westfield

Everyone has had a time when they wished things could be achieved through thought alone. As children, many try to move objects and imagine what it would be like to have the power to do things through thought alone.

Well, incredibly this idea may not be far away. Honda, the Japanese car manufacturer, has been having talks this weekend with some top fashion designers. The idea is to design and produce a stylish and attractive ‘driving hat’, which should be able to allow the wearer to be able to undertake tasks while driving via just thinking about what needs to be done.

It sound like something from a futuristic science fiction film, where a UFO or weapons system is controlled purely by thought. However, this is a real prototype that will actually read its wearers brainwaves to do simple tasks for the driving. It will be able to undertake commands to turn on window wipers or headlights, open things like the boot, or other simple tasks.

The scanner and controller are so small that it can actually fit into the lining of a hat, just an ordinary hat, not even a specially designed one. Some have said that Honda are now looking to get high-end fashion designers and Hollywood stars involved in the project.

Up until recently, reading brain pattern has required probes and often hair removal. However, Honda’s design has managed to read brain waves through hair and via soft pads (no proing required). The idea of the hat is to be a fashionable driving aid, making life easier, while making the driver look good.

Source;
http://news.carrentals.co.uk/do-you-wish-you-could-think-something-to-be-done-34235900.html

Honda launches TV ad to interact with iPhone app

Honda is launching what it claims to be the first campaign that allows viewers to use an app to interact with a TV ad in real time.

The 'This Unpredictable Life' campaign, for its Jazz model, breaks tomorrow (1 February). It gives the app's users the ability to "catch" animated characters with an iPhone as they appear on screen in Honda's new TV ad.

The app, named Honda Jazz – This Unpredictable Life, is free to download.

The Pixar-style clip shows a character floating through life, collecting experiences and possessions.

Using audio-recognition technology, app users can pull up to seven characters, including Space Monkey, Baby Balloon Head and Playful Puppy, to their app.

The campaign showcases the car's ability to "handle all that life has to throw at the modern family".

Martin Moll, head of marketing for Honda, said: "This new ad campaign reflects the experiences of our Jazz customers, showing how its Tardis-like interior has the versatility and space to cope with almost anything."

Source;
http://www.marketingmagazine.co.uk/news/1052149/Honda-launches-TV-ad-interact-iPhone-app/

U3-X Personal Mobility Prototype Video

Incredible....

New Honda Jet Makes First Flight

Honda Motor Co. says the first FAA-conforming version of the small business jet it has been working on for years made its first flight. The plane, called the HondaJet, flew from the company’s Honda Aircraft Co. operation at Piedmont Triad International Airport in Greensboro, N.C.

While an earlier version called a proof-of-concept aircraft has logged more than 500 hours of flight testing, flying the version built to Federal Aviation Administration rules is what really counts toward bringing the plane to market.

Honda’s project is part of a renewed and growing intersection between automobiles and aviation that is occurring around personal- and business-transport. Honda touts the same qualities for the plane, such as “dynamic performance” and efficiency, as it does for its cars. The company has said it is essentially applying lessons learned in auto manufacturing to the aircraft business.
Cirrus Aircraft, a longtime maker of small single-engine propeller-driven planes is developing a small jet designed for personal use that it has described as a minivan with wings. Terrafugia, a small aircraft start-up in Woburn, Mass., plans to start selling a flying car called the Transition late next year.

Honda says it will build five FAA-conforming jets for testing before ramping up production in 2012. The company says it has more than 100 orders for the light business jets, which have a top speed around 483 mph and a ceiling of 43,000 feet. Honda plans to deliver the first one in the third quarter of 2012.

Source;
http://blogs.wsj.com/drivers-seat/2010/12/22/new-honda-jet-makes-first-flight/

Honda Uses Toshiba Lithium-Ion Batteries in Test Version of Electric Car

In China first....
Honda Motor Company is using lithium-ion batteries made by Toshiba Corp. in a test version of its electric car, expanding upon a supply agreement for electric scooters.

Honda’s joint venture with Kyoto-based GS Yuasa Corp. will supply lithium-ion batteries for its hybrid cars, including a plug-in vehicle, while Toshiba’s packs may be more suitable for all-electric cars, which require more power, Tomohiko Kawanabe, head of Honda’s research and development division, told reporters today in Saitama prefecture, north of Tokyo.

Japan’s second-largest carmaker unveiled the test versions of its electric car and plug-in hybrid today, joining Toyota Motor Corp. and Nissan Motor Co. in efforts to meet tighter government emissions rules. Honda has supply agreements with four battery makers, including Panasonic Corp. and its subsidiary Sanyo Electric Co., which make nickel-metal hydride packs for Honda’s current hybrid cars.

Honda’s electric car can go more than 160 kilometers (100 miles) on a single charge, farther than Nissan’s Leaf electric car, Tokyo-based Honda said today. The plug-in hybrid can run 25 kilometers on battery power before the gasoline engine kicks in, about the same as Toyota’s plug-in. The figures are based on Japanese highway testing methods.

Honda rose 1.6 percent to 3,285 yen as of 2:29 p.m. in Tokyo trading, extending its gain this year to 5.6 percent.

Nissan’s Leaf

The carmaker hasn’t decided whether it will use Toshiba’s batteries for mass production, Kawanabe said. Toshiba already makes lithium-ion batteries for Honda’s EV-neo electric scooter, which it started leasing to corporate customers this month.

The company is also seeking to sell batteries made by Blue Energy Co., the venture with GS Yuasa, to other carmakers to help lower costs, he said.

Nissan, Japan’s third-largest automaker, starts selling its lithium-ion battery-powered Leaf hatchback this month in Japan and the U.S. and will begin selling it in Europe next year. Chief Executive Officer Carlos Ghosn has estimated that electric cars may account for 10 percent of global auto sales by 2020.

Toyota plans to sell a short-distance pure electric car and a plug-in hybrid by 2012.

Honda Preparing to Expand U.S. Sales of Natural Gas Civics

Nov. 18 (Bloomberg) -- Honda Motor Co., the only automaker currently selling a natural gas-powered car to U.S. consumers, plans to expand sales to most of the 50 states next year, from four now, U.S. Executive Vice President John Mendel said.

“You will see us expand sale of Civic GX across the country,” Mendel told reporters in a briefing at the Los Angeles Auto Show yesterday. “It’ll be a whole new vehicle,” he said, without elaborating.

The Tokyo-based company will make the sales announcement in conjunction with plans to revamp the Civic lineup in 2011, Mendel said.

Honda, which has sold a natural gas Civic for the past decade, promotes the fuel as causing less pollution than gasoline and sourced entirely from domestic sources. Ford Motor Co. and Chrysler Group LLC have also said they’re developing natural gas models.

The current federal incentive for the purchase of a natural gas car is $3,500, Mendel said. While Honda has sold about 2,000 units of the Civic GX a year, it will sell only about 1,200 this year because of the plans to revamp the model, he said.

Honda gained 1.3 percent in Tokyo trading to 3,125 yen as of 1:23 p.m. The stock has increased 0.5 percent in 2010.

Global Warming
Boone Pickens, founder and chairman of Dallas-based BP Capital LLC, said yesterday a bill to help convert the U.S. trucking fleets to natural gas may pass Congress by year-end with bipartisan support.

Pickens wants buses and trucks that run on natural gas to replace the diesel and gasoline engines that contribute to global warming and increase U.S. oil imports that cost the country as much as $1 billion a day.

The measure, which Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid introduced in September, has support from Republicans and Democrats and may be the first major legislation during the Obama administration to win support from both parties, Pickens said.

Mendel declined to provide a sales goal for the revamped natural gas Civic. Honda’s U.S. unit is based in Torrance, California.

Source;
http://www.businessweek.com/news/2010-11-17/honda-preparing-to-expand-u-s-sales-of-natural-gas-civics.html

World Debut of Honda Fit EV Concept Electric Vehicle and Plug-in Hybrid Platform at Los Angeles Auto Show

Wow, this will be a nice addition to the Honda lineup, I am glad now that we're not getting the Fit Hyrid!
Honda today unveiled the all-new Fit EV Concept electric vehicle and the platform for a midsize plug-in hybrid vehicle. Both vehicles are integral to the Honda Electric Mobility Network, the company's comprehensive approach to reducing CO2 emissions through innovative products, energy-management and energy-production technologies.

The Fit EV Concept hints strongly at the direction and styling for Honda's upcoming production Fit EV all-electric vehicle, which will be introduced to the U.S. and Japan in 2012. The all-new plug-in hybrid platform showcases Honda's next-generation, two-motor hybrid technology set to debut in 2012.

"Honda's long history with electromotive technologies has enabled us to understand customer requirements," said Takanobu Ito, Honda Motor Co., Ltd. President and CEO. "In Honda's view, an electric vehicle must offer great utility and be fun to drive. Fit EV's urban commuting capability will be a perfect addition to the full-function mobility of the plug-in hybrid and FCX Clarity fuel cell electric vehicle."

Honda Fit EV
The Fit EV is designed to meet the daily driving needs of the average metropolitan commuter and utilizes the same 5-passenger layout found in the popular Fit hatchback. When the Fit EV production model is introduced, it will be powered by a lithium-ion battery and coaxial electric motor.

The high-density motor, derived from the FCX Clarity fuel cell electric vehicle, delivers excellent efficiency and power while remaining quiet at high speeds. The Fit EV will have a top speed of 90 mph.

The Fit EV will achieve an estimated 100-mile driving range per charge using the US EPA LA4* city cycle (70 miles when applying EPA's adjustment factor). Driving range can be maximized by use of an innovative 3-mode electric drive system, adapted from the 2011 Honda CR-Z sport hybrid. The system allows the driver to select between Econ, Normal, and Sport to instantly and seamlessly change the driving experience to maximize efficiency or improve acceleration. While in Econ mode, practical driving range can increase by as much as 17 percent, compared to driving in Normal mode, and up to 25 percent compared to driving in Sport mode. Acceleration improves significantly when in Sport mode, generating performance similar to a vehicle equipped with a 2.0-liter gasoline engine.

In addition to the 3-mode E-Drive system, the Fit EV will include several interactive coaching systems to assist the driver in maximizing battery range.

A special meter display advises the driver when to shut off air conditioning and other accessories to conserve battery power.

To help the driver manage the electric vehicle ownership experience, the Fit EV will have a standard connectivity system that allows the driver to stay connected through a smartphone and personal computer, or the Honda-exclusive interactive remote, while away from the vehicle. The pocket-friendly, interactive remote provides connectivity to the vehicle without the need for an internet connection or mobile phone signal. Through the connectivity system, drivers will be able to remotely view the vehicle's state of charge, initiate charging and activate the air conditioning, even while connected to the grid, to reduce the drain on the battery at start-up. The mobile application and website also offers the ability to set charging notifications and alerts to optimize utility rates, and provides 24-hour roadside assistance, along with a public charging station locator. The Fit EV will come equipped with a standard Honda Satellite Linked Navigation System™ that includes a public charging-station locator capability.

The Fit EV is designed to be easy and convenient to charge. Battery recharging can be accomplished in less than 12 hours when using a conventional 120-volt outlet, and less than six hours when using a 240-volt outlet. The Fit EV Concept displayed at the Los Angeles Auto Show features an exclusive Deep Clear Blue Pearl exterior color and distinctive five-spoke aluminum-alloy wheels with blue inserts. The Concept has unique LED headlights, a chrome front fascia, aerodynamic bumper, clear LED taillights and EV decals. Inside, the Fit EV Concept is outfitted in an eco-friendly gray bio-fabric on the seating surfaces.

Displayed alongside the Fit EV Concept at the show is a prototype Honda charging stand. To begin charging, the driver swipes a card in front of the screen and then connects the charger to the vehicle. The Honda charging stand provides a glimpse at the future of an electric-charging infrastructure that is easy to use and intuitive for consumers.

Honda Plug-in Hybrid
Honda also unveiled a plug-in hybrid platform, which showcases Honda's next-generation two-motor hybrid system. Integrated into a mid-size sedan platform, the plug-in hybrid is designed to be compatible with daily driving habits, allowing for short, frequent trips in all-electric mode, while providing long-distance driving capability when needed. The Honda two-motor system continuously moves through three different modes to maximize driving efficiency: all-electric, gasoline-electric and a unique, engine direct-drive mode. The plug-in hybrid also uses regenerative braking to charge the battery.

In all-electric mode, the vehicle uses a 6kWh lithium-ion battery and a powerful 120 kW electric motor. The all-electric mode achieves a range of approximately 10-15 miles in city driving and a top speed of 62 mph. Fully recharging the battery will take 2 to 2.5 hours using a 120-volt outlet and 1 to 1.5 hours using a 240-volt outlet.

The vehicle can also run in a gasoline-electric hybrid mode, the platform features a fuel-efficient 2.0-liter, i-VTEC® inline 4-cylinder, Atkinson cycle engine, paired with an electric Continuously Variable Transmission (E-CVT). An onboard generator adds to the battery powering the electric motor.

For more efficient high-speed cruising, the vehicle can engage in a direct-drive mode, in which only the engine drives the front wheels.

Advanced Technology Demonstration Program
Honda will launch an Advanced Technology Demonstration Program this year to provide real-world testing of its new vehicles, as well as research into customer behavior and usability, public charging infrastructure planning and sustainability initiatives. Partners in the program will include Stanford University, City of Torrance, Calif. and Google, Inc.

Honda Electric Mobility Network and Energy ManagementTogether with the Honda FCX Clarity fuel cell electric vehicle, the Fit EV and the future plug-in hybrid vehicle are a part of the company's comprehensive approach to reducing CO2 emissions. Honda is unique in its efforts to create both environmentally-responsible products and the renewable energy solutions to power them. Honda is currently producing and marketing thin-film solar panels in Japan, and an installation is planned at Honda Performance Development in Southern California in early 2011.

Honda is also using innovative ways to produce and distribute energy through sustainable methods, such as using solar power to produce hydrogen fuel from water. Additionally, Honda is developing home energy-management systems that utilize micro-cogeneration technology and solar cell modules to power and heat homes as well as charge electric vehicles. The Honda Electric Mobility Network joins clean vehicle technology, renewable energy production and energy management solutions for the benefit of customers and society.

Honda Environmental Leadership
The Fit EV and a plug-in hybrid sedan will be introduced to the U.S. and Japan in 2012, joining Honda's diverse lineup of environmentally-responsible vehicles, which include the FCX Clarity fuel cell electric vehicle, the Civic GX compressed natural gas-powered sedan (U.S. only) and four distinct gasoline-electric hybrid models: Civic Hybrid; CR-Z sport hybrid; Insight hybrid and Fit Hybrid (Japan and Europe only).

Honda was recently named America's "Greenest Automaker" for the fifth consecutive time by the Union of Concerned Scientists (UCS). The award is earned by the company with the lowest combined smog-forming and greenhouse-gas emissions (primarily CO2) in its U.S. automobile fleet.

Honda has led the UCS rankings of overall vehicle environmental performance since the first UCS study in 2000, marking a decade of Honda leadership in reduced vehicle emissions. Honda earned the recognition this year with an industry-best score based on model year 2008 data, the latest available for analysis.

American Honda Motor Co., Inc.
Honda began operations in the U.S. in 1959 with the establishment of American Honda Motor Co., Inc., Honda's first overseas subsidiary. Honda began U.S. production of motorcycles in 1979 and automobiles in 1982. With nine U.S. plants, Honda has invested more than $12.7 billion in its U.S. operations. The company employs nearly 25,000 associates and annually purchases $12 billion in parts and materials from more than 530 U.S. suppliers. Honda vehicles are manufactured using domestic and globally sourced parts.

Source;
http://hondanews.com/channels/honda-automobiles/releases/world-debut-of-honda-fit-ev-concept-electric-vehicle-and-plug-in-hybrid-platform-at-los-angeles-auto-show

Honda at the Los Angeles Auto Show: Fact Sheet

Honda Fit EV
The all-new Fit EV Concept electric vehicle made its world debut at the Los Angeles Auto Show and strongly suggests the direction and styling of an upcoming production Fit EV all-electric vehicle, which will be introduced to the U.S. and Japan in 2012. The Fit EV is designed to meet the daily driving needs of the average metropolitan commuter. When the Fit EV is introduced, it will feature:

-Same 5-passenger packaging found in the popular Fit hatchback.

-The Fit EV will achieve an estimated 100-mile driving range per charge using the US EPA LA4 city cycle (70 miles when applying EPA's adjustment factor).
Lithium-ion battery.

-High-density coaxial electric motor derived from the FCX Clarity.

-3-mode E-Drive system with Econ, Normal and Sport modes to maximize efficiency or improve acceleration.

-Battery fully recharged in less than 12 hours with 120-volt outlet and fully recharged in less than 6 hours with 240-volt outlet.

-Standard connectivity system provides driver connectivity to the Fit EV from smartphone and personal computer or the Honda-exclusive interactive remote.

-Connectivity system allows the driver to: check state of charge, initiate charging and remotely activate the air conditioning.

-Mobile application and website offer additional features: set charging schedule to optimize utility rates, send charging alerts and notifications, locate nearest charging station, and provide 24-hour roadside assistance connectivity.

-Standard Honda Satellite Linked Navigation System™ with charging station locator capability.

Plug-In Hybrid
The Honda plug-in hybrid platform was unveiled for the first time at the Los Angeles Auto Show. A plug-in hybrid sedan will be introduced to the U.S. and Japan in 2012. The plug-in hybrid is designed to be compatible with daily driving habits, allowing for short, frequent trips in all-electric mode while providing long-distance, fuel-efficient driving capability when needed. The platform features:

-Next-generation two-motor Honda hybrid system.

-Three different driving modes to maximize efficiency: all-electric, gasoline-electric and engine direct drive.

-For all-electric driving, the vehicle uses a 6kWh lithium-ion battery and a 120 kW motor.

-All-electric range of 10-15 miles with top speed of 62 mph.

-Battery fully recharged in 2- 2.5 hours using 120-volt outlet, 1-1.5 hours using 240-volt outlet.

Honda Advanced Technology Demonstration Program
Honda will launch an Advanced Technology Demonstration Program this year to provide real-world testing of its new vehicles. Participants include: Stanford University, City of Torrance, Calif. and Google, Inc.In addition to real-world testing, the three participants will focus on the following issues:

-Stanford University: behavioral and usability research surrounding the adoption of electric vehicles. Additional research will be conducted on transportation systems and battery electric sustainability. Honda will be working with the Center for Automotive Research at Stanford (CARS).

-City of Torrance: charging infrastructure development, public education and awareness about electric vehicles as well as promoting sustainable community initiatives. Honda will be working with several city departments, including the Community Development department and Public Works office, along with the Economic Development office.

-Google, Inc: collaboration through Google's RechargeIT initiative to evaluate the benefits of plug-in vehicles and accelerate their adoption. The vehicle will be tested through the Gfleet, Google's employee car-sharing service. The partnership will involve analysis of vehicle usage including CO2 reduction, energy consumption on a miles/kWh basis and overall energy cost.

Honda Electric Mobility Network and Energy Management
Together with the FCX Clarity fuel cell electric vehicle, the Fit EV and the future plug-in hybrid vehicle will be a part of the company's new comprehensive approach to reducing CO2 emissions. Honda's approach includes the following initiatives:

-Honda Electric Mobility Network: Introducing products equipped with the latest in advanced environmental technologies that meet the daily driving needs of customers.

-Energy production: Manufacturing thin-film solar panels and developing innovative ways to produce and distribute energy using sustainable methods.

-Energy management: Development of home energy management systems that utilize micro-cogeneration technology and solar cell modules.

Source;
http://www.hondanews.com/channels/corporate-headlines/releases/honda-at-the-los-angeles-auto-show-fact-sheet

Honda stresses product, tech blitz to get back on track

Honda Motor Co. survived the global financial crisis better than most, avoiding the full-year losses seen on many balance sheets. But Honda's rebound has not been as sharp as most of the rest of the industry. American Honda's sales rose only 3 percent through September, compared with the 10 percent advance for the U.S. market as a whole. Its market share shrank to 10.6 percent, from 11.3 percent a year earlier.

But Honda Motor CEO Takanobu Ito says new products, led by the redesigned Odyssey minivan, will deliver above-average growth in 2011. A blitz of new technologies is also on tap for the next two years, including a hybrid system for mid-sized to large vehicles, an electric car and a small clean diesel drivetrain. Honda also will start overhauling gasoline engines and transmissions.

Ito, 57, spoke with Asia Editor Hans Greimel through an interpreter at Honda's headquarters in Tokyo about the latest technology drive, the positioning of the Acura brand and Ito's market outlook.

Honda's U.S. sales growth is slower than the industry average. Where will it be next year?

Our sales are slightly below our initial expectations. But for next year we will have help from the new Odyssey, an incredibly strong product [which launched this fall in the United States]. The biggest reason our sales are slightly behind is due to the good growth of Hyundai, especially the Sonata. To counter that, we have plans to make the Accord and Civic far more attractive. So for next year, we should be able to get sales growth above the market average.

Has the traditional rivalry between the Honda Accord and Toyota Camry turned into a three-horse race with the Hyundai Sonata?

It has become a competitor.

What models do you see delivering the biggest U.S. sales growth?

The segment that's showing relatively good growth is the light-truck category. And under those circumstances, we are introducing the highly competitive new Odyssey, for which I have high expectations.

The styling looks really sharp. And it comes equipped with a six-speed automatic transmission and our original cylinder deactivation system, which is a big contributor to fuel efficiency and has been further refined. So it combines good driving, good fuel efficiency and good looks. And this has all been developed in the United States by Americans for the American market. I'm very confident that with the Odyssey, we've come out with a good car at the right time.

What about small cars? Are Americans ready to buy them?

With overall demand in such severe shape, it has become difficult to forecast how acceptable the market finds small cars. But if you look from a long-term perspective, demand for small cars -- in our case, the Fit class -- will grow. But it may take some time.

Does that apply to hybrids as well? Sales have been sluggish this year.

Although American people talk about fuel economy, they are sensitive to the price of gasoline. They have the natural tendency to like something big and powerful. Therefore, my impression is that demand for technologies specializing in fuel economy, such as hybrid vehicles, would be impacted by the fuel price.

However, in the long run, we must reduce carbon dioxide, and we must increase the attractiveness of products, and hybrid technology has great potential here. Hybrid is a very good technology to make the vehicle more powerful and to increase fuel economy. I think it is important for us to continue refining our hybrid technologies patiently so that we can prepare even better products with more affordability.

What are you doing to make Honda's hybrids more attractive?

We developed a simple one-motor hybrid system called IMA. The key to the success of IMA is how simple it is, how low the cost can be and how it can be made a natural part of the vehicle's system. I want to grow this technology as the most efficient, in terms of return on investment, and a technology to improve fuel economy.

We are also developing a hybrid system for larger-size vehicles with a goal to make it contribute not only to fuel economy but to the attractiveness of the products. The concept for this hybrid is significantly different.

You are introducing the larger hybrid system in 2012. What percentage of your global sales volume will be hybrid vehicles by 2015?

Maybe around 10 percent by 2015. Even after the bigger hybrids, sales aren't going to grow exponentially. The conventional gasoline engine will remain the mainstream. The volume for large-sized vehicles is not so large to begin with, so applying hybrid there won't bring about major change. The small-sized IMA system will remain the contributing factor.

If you look to 2015, I don't think there will be that much of an impact from rising fuel prices or more stringent regulations. But by around 2020, the social situation surrounding the market may be different, and probably carbon dioxide regulations will be made even more stringent.
How big is a big hybrid in Honda's view?

A hybrid system suitable for the class of vehicle equipped with a V-6 engine is called large size.

Obviously, we will further advance the conventional V-6-equipped vehicles for more power and fuel efficiency. But by adding a hybrid model, we will add a more powerful and more fuel-efficient option.

Honda also plans to overhaul its gasoline engine and transmission lineup starting in 2012. What are the key improvements?

Our products must impress customers with great engines, and thus, that is how we are developing our vehicles. But we are not ready to unveil what we are doing. It is a fact that we are accelerating the development of hybrid technology, where we were slightly behind, because it is a must-have item for the next era. However, hybrid sales will probably be only 10 percent of sales by 2015. Therefore, there is no doubt that the advancement of the conventional engine is important for our business.

What are your plans for positioning the Acura brand?

We are having a lot of discussions about Acura and which way it should be going. And what we confirmed is that the brand direction should be smart premium, not top tier.

Among the technologies we have at Honda, we must apply those that symbolize our advanced performance technology and environmental technology. We call this "smart." We agreed that smart premium is what we should be targeting with Acura, not the upper-segment vehicles such as Lexus or Mercedes-Benz. We must apply advanced technologies which make our vehicle more fun to drive, achieve a more comfortable drive and high environmental performance.

How is the stronger yen affecting Honda, and what are you doing?

The best risk-hedging approach is to establish a business structure focused not only on the United States and Japan but also on utilizing other production sites worldwide, meaning the rest of Asia, China, South America and other areas. Build a system where all those production sites complement each other with some of their local specialty products and locally sold products.

When you think foreign exchange rates, you need to take into consideration the yuan vs. the yen, the yen vs. the dollar, the baht vs. the dollar and so on. Traditionally, we have been concerned mostly with the U.S. dollar vs. the yen. But the proportional weight of those transactions in our global sales volume is getting lower.

Does that mean you might be importing more vehicles or components to Japan?

We have no definitive plans to do that, but we have imported vehicles before. About 15 years ago, we imported the Accord wagon from the United States. This was not due to foreign exchange considerations. It was done more to complement local products.

None of our plants has recovered to full production since the Lehman Brothers collapse and global financial crisis. The U.S. plants are probably at around 80 percent of capacity. Japan is probably around 70 percent to 80 percent. The same applies to other production sites in Asia except for China, which is operating close to full capacity.

Since the financial crisis, none of the sites have been overwhelmed by demand in excess of their capacity. Depending on how the foreign exchange situation continues, it is possible that we could import cars into Japan. This is nothing new to us. We have done this in the past.

What adjustments do you see in your U.S. production footprint in the near term?

The foreign exchange situation has the potential to change very dramatically, when we least expect it. It is very difficult to deal with. Currently, both Japan and the United States have excess production capacity. So if the foreign currency situation continues like this, there is a possibility that there could be a gradual shift of production to the United States. But I have no intention to bring about any sudden, dramatic changes.

What may be possible, for example, is this: We now produce the Accord in Japan and export some to the United States and other countries. But perhaps the portion that is going to other countries may eventually be sourced from the United States. That's something we are thinking about. It would also be good for the United States.

What change would you most like to see in the U.S. dealer network?

We have a good, strong U.S. dealer network, so I'm not thinking of changing anything specifically for 2011, 2012. What's most important is finding out and taking in what U.S. customers really find attractive in products, be it affordability or other features. We need to reinforce that in the early stage and build that into our products to further strengthen our brand identity. That is our first priority.

Source;
http://reviews.cnet.com/8301-13746_7-20022088-48.html

L.A. auto show: Honda to reveal electric concept

Honda will unveil an electric-vehicle concept on Nov. 17 at the Los Angeles auto show. It will be accompanied by a new platform that shows off Honda's latest plug-in developments.

Honda Motor Co. Ltd. president and CEO Takanobu Ito will be at the press conference, marking the first time the company's global CEO has made a product reveal in Los Angeles.

The show is expected to feature about 20 global reveals, organizers said on Wednesday.

Source;
http://www.autoweek.com/article/20101027/LOSANGELES/101029900

Japanese car maker steps up efforts to reduce carbon footprint

There are more ways than just making enviro cars to be environmentally friendly....
By Abigail L. Ho
Philippine Daily Inquirer

MANILA, Philippines—Recognizing that vehicles are big contributors to pollution, Honda Cars Philippines Inc. is stepping up efforts to reduce its own carbon footprint by implementing various environment-saving measures in its Sta. Rosa, Laguna manufacturing facility.

In a speech during the celebration of the company's 20th anniversary, Honda Philippines president and general manager Hiroshi Shimizu said that from 2006, the car manufacturer had slashed carbon emissions from its production activities by as much as 20 percent.

This was achieved through the implementation of energy demand side management activities, as well as energy efficiency and conservation measures, including the conduct of energy audits
and the installation of energy-efficient equipment and lighting systems.

Shimizu related that the company has also embarked on a waste reduction program that aimed to eliminate manufacturing-related wastes by next year.

Efforts directed at achieving this goal included the reduction and segregation of various waste products, the use of recyclable packaging for the parts that it exports, and the treatment of its hazardous waste materials through cement kiln technology.

Honda Motor Co., the car maker's Japanese parent, is constantly conducting research on automotive technologies that will reduce carbon emissions.

Michio Shinohara, general manager of Honda's environment and safety planning office, said the company was working hard to accelerate the rollout of vehicle models using electromotive technologies.

"The shift to electromotive technologies is one of the most effective ways to reduce carbon emissions,'' he said.

Honda earlier in the year launched a real-world demonstration program of its electric motorcycles and automobiles, in cooperation with Japan's Kumamoto and Saitama prefectures.

These personal mobility products, powered by electromotive technology, were used in a mainstream urban setting to determine the effectiveness of such vehicles under normal driving conditions and to study how the future urban transportation system should be designed to provide the most improvement to overall quality of life.

Honda also sells hybrid vehicles in other markets, but is not inclined to do so until after 2013, when the tariff on such vehicles go down to zero under the Japan-Philippines Economic Partnership Agreement.

Source;
http://business.inquirer.net/money/topstories/view/20101024-299535/Japanese-car-maker-steps-up-efforts-to-reduce-carbon-footprint