Honda to Sell Natural Gas Civic

Honda Motor Co. said Thursday that it will begin selling a natural-gas-powered small car in California next fall that emits the lowest level of pollutants of any vehicle equipped with an internal combustion engine.

The company, which has made a name for itself in producing low-pollution engines, said it would begin producing the Civic GX in the 1998 model year that begins next September.

“It’s the cleanest vehicle ever made with an internal combustion engine with an emission level . . . so low it is nearly unmeasurable. Almost zero,” said Ben Knight, Honda’s president of research and development.

The vehicle, which has a 1.6-liter engine, will be built in East Liberty, Ohio, on the same line used to make conventional Civics. It will cost about $19,500, or about $4,500 more than a comparably equipped Civic LX.

Knight said the vehicle will cost more because of the low-volume production and additional cost for the fuel storage tank located in the rear of the vehicle. He would not say how many natural gas Civics would be built.

Honda said it would probably sell its vehicles in California, Washington, D.C., New York, Ohio and Georgia, all places where it currently has test programs.

Natural gas is considered a good alternative to gasoline because it is cheaper and plentiful in North America. Because it can be used in today’s internal combustion engines with few modifications, natural gas is seen as more practical than battery-powered cars. Early next year, Honda plans to begin leasing 300 electric-powered sedans at about 10 dealers in California.