honda-nsx-concept at 2012 Detroit Motor Show
Hard to believe that the first generation hybrid Honda Insight came on the road over a decade ago. Since then low emission hybrid cars have grown in number of models and manufacturers, as the call for cleaner technology, and therefore lower co2 emissions, became a clamour.
Honda has sold more than 800,000 hybrid vehicles since the first generation Honda Insight hit the road in November 1999. Honda was the first manufacturer in the world to launch a hybrid model and reported the Insight delivered 83 miles per gallon giving it the highest fuel economy among all petrol powered vehicles at the time.
In the UK, Honda has sold more than 22,000 hybrids since the original Insight was launched in 2000 and the current hybrid line up now consists of the CR-Z, Jazz Hybrid and Insight.
Honda now sells seven hybrid models in 50 countries and they all come equipped with Honda’s original lightweight and compact IMA (Integrated Motor Assist) hybrid system.
Annual worldwide Honda hybrid sales for 2011 were up 30 per cent on 2010 at approximately 200,000 vehicles. Honda’s total hybrid sales during the last three years exceeded 500,000. In Japan, the ratio of hybrid vehicles exceeded 45 per cent of all new Honda vehicle registrations for the month of December 2011.
The Honda-nsx-concept ( above) shown at this year’s Detroit Motor Show is a glimpse of things still to come? Standing still in the drive for even better and different low emission cars seems not to be an option.
