Although Honda discontinued its Accord Hybrid model for the 2007 model year, the company assured us that more hybrid cars were on the horizon. We've known for a while now that Honda will add a new small hybrid car early next year to its current offering of the Civic Hybrid. Now Honda has announced that this as-yet-to-be-named vehicle will seat five in a five-door hatchback body style with exterior styling that harkens from its FCX Clarity fuel cell vehicle.
Honda FCX Clarity
Honda's CEO Takeo Fukui has also promised that it will be the company's most affordable hybrid car to date, thanks to a "significant" cost reduction in Honda's hybrid powertrain, called Integrated Motor Assist (IMA). Approximately 200,000 units of this new hybrid will be sold globally with half of the sales expected in North America.
After this new small hybrid is launched in early 2009, Honda will introduce a second small hybrid car based on the CR-Z sports car (below) first shown at the 2007 Tokyo Motor Show as well as a hybrid version of the 2008 Honda Fit. In total, Honda expects to sell about 500,000 hybrid cars worldwide when these three new hybrids plus the Civic Hybrid, are all on the market.
Honda CR-Z Concept Car
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