Honda’s hot hybrid road ahead

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When we think of hybrid cars, the Toyota Prius is usually what springs to mind. But don’t forget that Honda also makes hybrids -- there’s the gasoline-electric version of the Civic, and does anyone remember the Insight?

There’s still a lot of discussion/argument/indecision over what will be the way forward for personal transportation, considering that ethanol needs so much energy to produce, hydrogen is so difficult to obtain and there’s the whole issue regarding how to dispose of spent nickel-metal-hydride batteries sometime down the road (come to think of it, there will probably be a similar situation with lithium-ion batteries later on).

However, one thing is for sure: When the president of a car company renowned for both quality and ingenuity states that hybrids will make up 10% of its global sales by as early as 2010, we know that this particular technology is staying around for an appreciable time. Which is exactly what has happened.

As well as the Civic, Honda has announced recently that it will be making two more hybrid vehicles. One will be a global hybrid, with a focus on making the system more affordable and an intention to sell 200,000 examples. And because sex will still sell cars in two years’ time, Honda is developing a sports hybrid based on the CR-Z concept (pictured here), which will also be sold around the world. Don’t write off hybrid or fuel-cell technology anytime soon.

If a company as smart as Honda is sinking millions into these areas, there’s a good chance it knows something the rest of us don’t.

-- Colin Ryan