Honda to Focus on Small Environmentally Friendly Vehicles

In describing the company's ten year global strategy this week, Honda Motor Co.'s president and chief executive officer stressed the fact that Honda is enhancing the environmental technologies offered in its vehicles.

Ito suggested that consumer preference have shifted toward smaller-sized vehicles due to increasing environmental and economic concerns. Ito said "Honda must quickly respond to such changes in the times to achieve further growth and expansion in the future." Ito went on to say Honda's "most important" ideal is providing affordable, eco-friendly products to consumers in a timely fashion.

To address this shift inthe short term, Honda is building a plug-in hybrid systems designed for midsize to larger units. It is slated to roll these out in the U.S. in 2012. Moreover, the automaker plans to bring a battery-electric commuter vehicle here two years from now, as well.

Also impacting the U.S. market will be the all-new Honda Civic — slated to be launched next year . It will feature the automaker's first hybrid application of a lithium-ion battery

Honda will work with such parties as Stanford University, Google and the City of Torrance, Calif., to test these fuel innovations like battery-electric vehicles and plug-in hybrids. The tests will be part of the Advanced Technology Demonstration Program and will be conducted separately.
The City of Torrance is slated to be first on the docket. As such, a plug-in hybrid electric will be given to the city to test before the year closes.