India's Largest FDI Industrial Project in Orissa stopped after violating Environmental norms
August 9, 2010Climate Changed Already – Massive Floods in Asia,Record Drought in Russia,Huge Ice Island breaks from Greenland ?
August 10, 2010Honda is betting on the success of Hybrid Vehicles rather than Electric Vehicles as it introduces the cheapest Hybrid in the Japanese market at 1.59 million yen.The Hybrid Vehicle will be a version of the FIT compact car that it sells in the diesel version currently.This new Hybrid will be cheaper than the current Insight and may led to price cuts by other automakers like Toyota.Note Honda is not a believer in the EV revolution and has been a laggard recently looking for Battery manufacturing in China.Unlike Honda,Other Japanese like Toyota and Nissan have been hyperactive in this market.Toyota which is a Hybrid Vehicle leader with its box office Prius Hybrid is tying up with media darling Tesla in developing an EV.Nissan has even more ambitious targets with its $32000 Leaf .
Honda’s strategy of promoting Hybrids is a good one as Hybrids make much more economic sense than EVs.Without massive government subsidies EVs are expensive big toys and will unlikely generate large sales or do anything to improve the environment.On the other hand Hybrids are an excelllent intermediate solution to the climate problems.The EVs might make sense 10 years in the future when the technology in batteries develop far enough to make them economically feasible.
Honda’s compact hybrid to be cheapest in October – Reuters
Honda Motor Co plans to sell a hybrid version of its popular Fit compact car at around 1.59 million yen ($18,600), making it the cheapest hybrid in Japan when it goes on sale in October, the Tokyo Shimbun daily said on Sunday.
Honda’s Hybrid Fit will cost about 300,000 yen less than Insight, Japan‘s No.2 auto maker’s other hybrid offering and currently the cheapest. It will be priced at about 400,000 yen more than Fit’s gasoline-powered version, the daily said.