Slow sales cause Honda to scrub natural gas and hybrid Civics

Slow sales and falling gasoline prices have prompted Honda to stop selling gas-electric hybrid and natural gas-powered versions of its Civic compact car.

The company also said that it will discontinue a plug-in rechargeable version of the midsize Accord.

But it plans to roll out a new, more efficient version of the Accord hybrid early next year. And a new plug-in Accord will come at a later date.

Executive Vice President John Mendel said Monday in a statement that production of the natural gas Civic already has been halted, and hybrid Civic production will end after the 2015 model year.

The average price of a gallon of regular gasoline nationwide was $2.80 on Monday, 86 cents below a year ago.

Mendel also said the small number of natural gas refueling stations continue to be a challenge for owners. Honda sold only about 16,000 natural gas Civics since 1998. Mendel said Honda will continue to service the natural gas cars.
Through May, Honda has sold only 1,873 hybrid Civics out of a total of 129,574, according to Autodata Corp. Natural gas Civic sales for the year were not released.

Part of the reason for the slow hybrid and natural gas Civic sales is the progress that Honda and other automakers have made getting better mileage out of gaspowered vehicles. Honda plans to start selling a sleeklooking new Civic in the fall that will get a little more than 40 miles per gallon in highway driving, Mendel said in the statement.

2015 Hyundai Sonata Eco: Gas Mileage Review

The 2015 Hyundai Sonata Eco is the Korean maker's most fuel-efficient mid-size sedan that doesn't use a hybrid powertrain.

And it highlights the two parallel paths that automakers are taking as they work to boost gas mileage ratings to meet steadily rising corporate average fuel economy rules.

The Sonata Eco uses a smaller gasoline engine, a different transmission, and some other modifications to deliver the highest ratings of any non-hybrid Sonata.

Unlike the conventional gasoline Sonata, with its 2.0-liter engine, the Sonata Eco is powered by a turbocharged 1.6-liter four that produces 178 horsepower and 195 lb-ft of torque.

The Eco is also the sole Sonata to use Hyundai's own seven-speed dual-clutch transmission, rather than the more conventional six-speed automatic. It's also fitted with a high final-drive ratio.

The 2015 Sonata Eco is EPA-rated at 32 mpg combined (28 mpg city, 38 mpg highway).

2015 Hyundai Sonata Hybrid 4-door Sedan Limited Dashboard

That compares to the conceptually similar 2015 Ford Fusion 1.5 EcoBoost, which comes with ratings of 29 mpg combined (25 mpg city, 37 mpg highway), but uses a conventional six-sped automatic transmission.

We had driven the Sonata Eco briefly last October, during testing for our Green Car Reports 2015 Best Car To Buy award nominees.

But quick loops through the twisty Malibu canyons above Los Angeles are hardly representative of how most buyers will use a car like this.

So, last December, we got a chance to test its real-world fuel economy on a long Northeastern road trip--although it had a higher proportion of highway miles than many Sonatas may see.

Still, over 540 miles, the car's trip computer told us we had achieved a rating of 33.2 miles per gallon overall.

That's about what we expected to get from this particular mid-size sedan with two occupants and their luggage (especially in cold winter weather that required constant use of the heater and fans).

2015 Hyundai Sonata Eco, Malibu, California, Oct 2014

[EDITOR'S NOTE: Alert readers will notice that, with one exception, the photos accompanying this article were taken in Los Angeles--which is to say, they're not scenes of Vermont or any of the other scenic areas we traveled through. Chalk it up to a technical error.]

Other notes from our four days with the Sonata Eco:

• This Sonata's transmission is one of the softer dual-clutch units we've driven, though we experienced occasional lurching in quick on/off power applications
• For low-rolling-resistance tires, the ride was fairly soft--a good thing--though like many harder tires, they could get quite noisy on certain rough surfaces
• The Sonata Eco's power steering was among the numbest we've driven lately, requiring many small corrections to stay on center at highway speeds
• The relatively high fuel economy ensured a long distance between refills; we got more than 500 miles on our first tank of gas
• Kudos to the sedan designers who kept the rear seat high enough that a 5-foot-tall passenger could see out the rear side windows; that's not always the case these days

Overall, the 2015 Hyundai Sonata Eco has all the benefits and virtues of a big mid-size sedan.

2015 Hyundai Sonata Eco, Malibu, California, Oct 2014

Competitors include the Chevrolet Malibu (redesigned for 2016), Chrysler 200, Ford Fusion, Honda Accord, Kia Optima, Nissan Altima, and Toyota Camry.

While we weren't wild about a couple of the driving characteristics, we could definitely live with this powertrain for what we'd expect to be combined fuel economy of 30 mpg or better over the long run.

Our Hyundai Sonata Eco test car carried a base price of $23, 275--about $2,000 higher than the least expensive 2015 Sonata.

A tech package added $4,100, consisting of a navigation system with an 8-inch touchscreen display, blind-spot detection with rear cross-traffic alert, leather upholstery with heated front seats, dual-zone temperature control, and a host of smaller upgrades and trim items.

2015 Hyundai Sonata Eco, Malibu, California, Oct 2014

Carpeted floor mats, a cargo net, a cargo tray, a first-aid kit, and wheel locks together added $375 more.

With a mandatory $810 "inland freight and handling" charge (aka destination fee), the bottom line came to $28,560.

American Honda inches higher, thanks to Acura

American Honda Motor Co. notched another slim sales gain for December, riding heavily on crossovers and the Acura brand.

The automaker’s December sales rose 1.5 percent to 137,281 units. The luxury arm gained 13 percent in December on strong performances from the ILX and TLX sedans and the RDX crossover. Honda Division’s sales were flat, despite double-digit gains from its crossovers and the recently redesigned Fit subcompact.

For the year, Honda Division sales edged up 1 percent to a record 1,373,029 vehicles. Acura gained 1.5 percent on sales of 167,843 units, its best year since 2007 and its third consecutive year of gains.

Light trucks drove much of the year’s growth at both brands. Honda’s CR-V, redesigned in October, set an annual sales record, rising 10 percent for the year to 335,019 units. Among cars, the Accord, Honda’s best-seller, gained 6 percent for the year, and the Fit was up 11 percent. But sales of the Odyssey minivan sank 5 percent.

“Despite the price of gasoline dropping well below $3 a gallon in many markets, Honda’s strong, balanced lineup of cars and trucks helped us achieve record sales in 2014,” Jeff Conrad, Honda Division general manager, said in a statement.

Acura’s mix of crossovers rose 13 percent in 2014, helping to offset a 15 percent drop in car sales, which picked up only toward the second half of the year with the introduction of the TLX midsize sedan. The MDX three-row crossover had its best-ever sales year, with 65,603 units sold. The smaller RDX also set an annual record, 44,865 units, a slight gain from the previous year.

“The Acura MDX and RDX declared loud and clear why we call them the best 1-2 punch in the luxury SUV game, with record sales in the history of the Acura brand,” Mike Accavitti, Acura general manager, said in a statement.

“With our passenger car lineup now strengthened by the successful launch of the all-new TLX, the upcoming introduction of the redesigned ILX, and the highly anticipated NSX supercar set for its global debut in Detroit, the Acura brand is poised for great things in 2015.”

Honda Accord Outsells Prius In California

California is known for imposing tougher environmental regulations on car manufacturers than the EPA.  Because the market in California is so huge, car companies find it is easier and cheaper to build all their US models to meet the California Air Resources Board (CARB) standards rather than having separate “40 state” models.

It became fashionable for every Hollywood star to have one parked in the garage alongside the Jaguar/Ferrari/Lambo. California has a lot of High Occupancy Vehicle (HOV) lanes on its many freeways and Prius drivers were allowed to use them even if they were driving alone. How cool is that? Eco-snobbery drove Prius sales through the roof, making it the best selling car in the state year after year.

Until recently.

During the first quarter of 2014, the Honda Accord muscled its way to the front of the line, edging out even the mighty Prius as California’s best-selling car. There are a couple of reasons for this. The 9th generation Accord was released last year, so the 2014 Accord represents the latest thinking in the automotive universe. The Prius has been around, virtually unchanged, for almost 10 years. Its shape, once so trendy, is looking a little dated. The Accord is a bigger car that has more room for families,  and the hybrid version gets virtually the same gas mileage as the Prius (in addition to being WAY more fun to drive).  The Accord looks more mainstream, and doesn’t scream “hybrid” the way the Prius does.

The Accord only outsold the Prius by about 300 units (and limited supply could be hurting those numbers), but those sales numbers offer insight into trends in car sales nationally. Prius sales are down about 10% from a year ago, primarily because buyers have many more hybrid models from other manufacturers to choose from. Because California is such a trendsetter, the Accord/Prius battle there provides clues as to how the new car market will evolve in the rest of America over the next year or two.

Source: The L.A. Times

Honda officially starts 2014 Accord Plug-in Sales in New York, California

The 2014 Honda Accord Plug-In Hybrid Electric Vehicle, rated by the EPA at 115 MPGe in all electric mode went on-sale at select New York and California Honda dealers on 15 January 15 with an MSRP of $39,780 and a monthly lease price of $429. 

The Honda Accord Plug-In is rated by the EPA with a maximum EV Mode driving range of 13 miles and a gasoline fuel-economy rating of 47/46/46 mpg (city/hwy/combined). The 2014 Accord Plug-In earned the highest EPA MPGe rating (115 MPGe) in its class, topping all plug-in-class competitors.

In addition to being Honda’s first plug-in hybrid electric vehicle, the Accord Plug-In is the first production car in the US to meet the new, more stringent LEV3/SULEV20 emissions standard, and will also qualify for single-occupant carpool-lane access in California.

The 2014 Accord Plug-in Hybrid is powered by an all-new Honda Earth Dreams technology two-motor hybrid system utilizing a 124 kW electric motor that also acts like a continuously variable transmission (e-CVT) mated to a 2.0-liter i-VTEC, Atkinson cycle 4-cylinder engine. Electric-only operation is supported by a 6.7-kilowatt-hour (kWh) lithium-ion (Li-Ion) battery, with regenerative braking provided by an all-new electric-servo braking system.

To maximize driving efficiency, the new two-motor hybrid system allows the Accord Plug-In powertrain to transition seamlessly between all-electric EV Drive, gasoline-electric Hybrid Drive; and direct Engine Drive. Beyond its function as a full-electric vehicle, owners of the Accord Plug-In will be able to choose two additional driving modes to manage battery capacity and tailor the capabilities of the vehicle to their commute.

In its default start-up mode, the Accord Plug-In acts as a pure electric vehicle and will remain in full-electric mode until the battery state of charge necessitates the automatic switch to gas/electric hybrid operation. At higher speeds and engine loads, such as during aggressive acceleration, the gasoline engine kicks in to provide additional power.

There is also a button on the center console that allows the driver to manually select EV mode. In the driver-selectable HV mode, the plug-in Accord acts as a conventional hybrid, blending electric motor gasoline engine power to maximize fuel efficiency while maintaining the battery charge level.

Honda to build 2014 Accord Hybrid in Ohio

Honda of America Mfg., Inc. will invest $23 million at its Marysville, Ohio auto plant to add production of the new two-motor Accord Hybrid Sedan (earlier post), scheduled to go on sale nationwide this fall.

This will be the third hybrid model built by Honda in the US and the first in Ohio. Honda Manufacturing of Indiana, LLC in Greensburg, Ind. was the first Honda plant in North America to build a hybrid vehicle, and currently produces both the Civic Hybrid and Acura ILX Hybrid models.

The Marysville Auto Plant is undergoing an expansion of 95,000-square-feet to house assembly processes and logistics specifically for production of the Accord Hybrid. The project includes lengthening the main assembly line to accommodate the unique hybrid production processes, and adding space for related parts receiving and sub-assembly operations. The project also will increase overall efficiency of the plant’s parts logistics operations.

One of four efficient powertrains for the Accord lineup, the new Accord Hybrid Sedan joins the 2014 Accord Plug-in Hybrid Sedan in incorporating Honda’s first two-motor hybrid system. Both the Accord Plug-In and Accord Hybrid team a new Earth Dreams Technology 2.0-liter i-VTEC 4-cylinder Atkinson cycle engine with a 124 kW traction electric motor that can function as an electric continuously variable transmission (e-CVT) and a 105 kW electric motor for power generation.

All of the conventional, gasoline-powered 2013 Accords now on sale in the United States are equipped with a new Earth Dreams Technology powertrain, either a direct-injected 2.4-liter 4-cylinder engine or a 3.5-liter V6 engine equipped with Variable Cylinder Management (VCM). Manufactured at Honda’s automobile engine plant in Anna, Ohio, both of these engines were named to Ward’s 10 Best Engines list for 2013.

In the last three years, Honda has announced investments at its Ohio manufacturing facilities exceeding $800 million. They include projects to establish on-site parts consolidation centers, renovate auto assembly and painting operations, and major investments at the Anna Engine Plant, as well as its transmission plant in Russells Point, to manufacture continuously variable transmissions (CVTs).

Recently, the transmission plant started a second phase of projects to expand CVT production. This new investment of $90 million includes an additional assembly line, and new aluminum die casting and machining operations. Investments at that the transmission plant in recent years now total $235 million.

Honda operates four manufacturing plants in Ohio, including auto plants in Marysville and East Liberty with the capacity to manufacture nearly 700,000 cars and light trucks per year. Its engine plant in Anna supplies engines and components to most of Honda’s auto plants in North America, with production exceeding a million engines per year. The transmission plant in Russells Point manufactures more than one million automatic transmissions per year, including the CVTs, for Honda’s North American auto plants.

In addition to manufacturing, Ohio is the center for vehicle engineering in North America. The R&D center in Raymond, Ohio, is Honda’s largest R&D center outside Japan.

Honda considers building new Accord Hybrid in U.S.

Nothing like dollars and cents to drive some good ol' patriotism, even if it's from overseas.

Honda will re-start production of the Accord Hybrid from Japan next year and may move the manufacturing of the model to U.S. by 2015 in order to cut costs, Automotive News reports, citing an interview with Honda chief engineer Chitoshi Yokota in the Japanese business daily Nikkei Nangyo.

The relatively expensive yen makes the prospect of producing the Accord Hybrid in the U.S. a cheaper one than in Japan. Yokota said the model needs all the help in can get because hybrids that are sold as variants of conventional models – like the Accord and Civic Hybrids – are harder to market than standalone hybrid models like, say, the Toyota Prius.

Honda will start delivering an Accord Plug-In Hybrid, which will have an all-electric range of as many as 15 miles, early next year. The conventional Accord Hybrid will debut later in 2013. The Japanese automaker hopes the variants will spur hybrid sales, which have been lagging this year. Through September, Honda sold 14,204 hybrids and EVs, down 47 percent from a year earlier. Honda discontinued the Accord Hybrid in 2008 after four years of production.

Earlier this week, we reviewed the 2014 Accord Plug-In Hybrid, and you can find our First Drive impressions are here.

Source: Autoblog Green

2014 Honda Accord Plug-in Hybrid Debuts With 100 MPGe

Last week, Honda pulled the covers off of the 2014 Honda Accord Plug-in Hybrid, and perhaps some people wish they would have left it on. While it may not be the prettiest belle at the ball, the Honda Accord Plug-in Hybrid does offer some impressive numbers that will make it a real contender in the marketplace. Chief among those numbers, an estimated 100 MPGe rating, as well as a pure-electric range that is competitive with its rivals.

100 MPGe, Up To 15 Miles Of EV Range
The 2014 Honda Accord Plug-in Hybrid will hit dealerships in early 2013, and it comes with a new 2.0 liter “Earth Dreams” engine a 124 kW electric motor, and a 6.7 kWh battery pack. This combination will offer total output of 196 horsepower (137 from the gas engine, 59 from the electric motor) and between 10 and 15 miles of electric-only driving. It also qualifies, according to Honda, for a 100 MPGe rating under the EPA guidelines.

15 miles enough range to cover most around-town trips, and the 6.7 kWh battery pack qualifies the Accord Plug-in Hybrid for $3,750 in gov’ment money via a Federal Tax Credit. Honda has yet to announce the MSRP of the Accord Plug-in, though if Ford and Toyota’s pricing is any indication, it should be in the low-30’s/high 20’s with the tax credit.

More Than Powertrain Improvements

The Accord Plug-in Hybrid will come with special wheels, more aerodynamic design, and less weight. The wheels are designed to produce less drag, as are underbody trays for the engine and cabin floors. An aluminum hood, sub-frame, brake pedal, and rear bumper drop a substantial (though unspecified) amount of weight from the Accord Plug-in Hybrid. It no doubt also adds to the MSRP, while giving this new Honda a bit of a funky-but-not-fresh look.

Honda is taking a different route than most automakers by released the plug-in version of the Accord prior to the “standard” hybrid version. This is the case with all of Honda’s alt-fuel cars including their only pure electric car, the Honda Fit EV. While the first leases have already been signed for the Fit EV, you can only lease it in California and you can’t buy it just yet.

Impressive Enough?

So far, Honda has been just another “also ran” in the hybrid game, unable to match the efficiency of the Toyota Prius, or the versatility of the Ford C-Max Energi. Unfortunately, the 2014 Accord Plug-in Hybrid already appears to have the same issue, falling squarely in the middle of the pack, at least on paper. Hell, even the debut pictures feature a car painted a very boring beige. Like, come on Honda! Give me a blue, a green, even white. But beige? Ugh. It’s like you want to be boring.

The interior is even less exciting though. Yes, there is a long list of standard features, but the interior couldn’t be more…appropriate. Touchscreen navigation and infotainment? Check. Standard gauge cluster? Check. MOST BORING SHIFTER EVER? Double check. Yawn.

Having just sold a ‘98 Honda Accord that served me very well, I really am rooting for the 2014 Accord Plug-in Hybrid to find a rabid customer base. While there was nothing exciting about my car, I did appreciate its frugality and reliability. Not once did that car, with nearly 180,000 miles on it, leave me stranded.

But the 1998 Honda Accord comes from a time when reliability was itself a rate quality. The average American really only had two choices when it came to reliable vehicles; you either drove a full-size pickup, or a Toyota/Honda. Everything else was a crapshoot at best. These days, the few new car buyers left have a lot of excellent, better-looking, more versatile and frankly more exciting options.

I hope Hibda has a great ad campaign lined up.

Source: Honda

         



Source: Gas2.0

2013 Honda Accord hits 36 MPG highway

Honda has released official Environmental Protection Agency ratings for the 2013 Accord. Base models come equipped with a direct-injection 2.4-liter four-cylinder engine with 185 horsepower and 177 pound-feet of torque. When mated with a new six-speed manual gearbox, the sedan returns 24 miles per gallon city, 34 mpg highway and 28 mpg combined.

Engineers have also developed a new continuously variable transmission for peak fuel economy. When paired with the CVT, the four-cylinder yields 27 mpg city, 36 mpg highway and 30 mpg combined. Those numbers mark an increase of four mpg city and two mpg highway over the old automatic, but land the Accord behind the 38 mpg of the 2013 Nissan Altima.

While the new direct-injection system and transmissions account for a large portion of that increase, tricks like an electric power steering system and reworked aerodynamics also help. Sport trim bumps power up to 189 hp and 182 lb-ft of torque with no significant fuel economy penalty. Buyers who step into the 278 horsepower 3.5-liter V6 with its 252 lb-ft of torque can look forward to 21 mpg city and 34 mpg highway. That's an increase of one and four mpg, respectively, which helps push the six-cylinder to 25 mpg combined.

Efficiency numbers for the plug-in version are not yet available, but we expect them around the time of the Los Angeles Auto Show.


Source: Autoblog Green

2013 Honda Accord Plug-in Hybrid snapped almost completely exposed

Look what our spies stumbled upon the other evening in Los Angeles: It's the 2013 Honda Accord Plug-In Hybrid, sans cladding. While these night shots aren't the best quality, we have yet to see any more revealing images of the next-generation Honda family sedan.

Forget for a minute that this Accord is clearly the plug-in hybrid variant – you can tell by the extra fuel filler door on the front fender – and just check out the grille and those headlights. Look familiar? It should, unless you missed the Honda Concept C at the recent Beijing Motor Show.

We're glad to see that its more aggressive front fascia has been applied nearly lock, stock, and smoking barrel to the Accord. (Is there any Honda that more needs this shot in the arm?) But it does raise some questions about the first set of 2013 Accord spy shots we saw last week, which show the car wearing a different nose. Will Honda have two different looks for the new Accord, one for the Plain Jane sedan and another, more exciting front fascia for its green model? It's a strategy that Hyundai employs on the Sonata, but we certainly can't confirm such a theory yet.

We do, however, have some evidence of what Honda will be doing to the rear end of the Accord, which is making it more aerodynamic via those squared-off bumper edges on either side of the car. The car snapped in the pictures also appears to have a little spoiler on the lip of the trunk, though again, we can't say whether these details are exclusive to the Accord Plug-In Hybrid or might make their way into all the Accord models.

Either way, these images look promising, as they show a car that's both more attractive and dynamic than the eighth-generation Accord we've been living with since 2008.


Source: Autoblog Green

More Information Regarding the Honda Accord Plug-In Hybrid

Honda Accord plug-in hybrid demonstrator – Click above for high-res image gallery

Back in December of 2010, Honda unveiled an Accord dressed in vinyl that read "Plug-in Hybrid." Though that plug-in hybrid was nothing more than an early-stage prototype, Honda did reveal these preliminary specs for its plug-in:

• This new hybrid system is designed for mid-size to larger vehicles and will be introduced in a future Honda model in 2012.
• The Honda two-motor system continuously moves through three different modes to maximize driving efficiency: all-electric, gasoline-electric and a unique, engine direct-drive mode.
• In all-electric mode, the vehicle uses a 6kWh lithium-ion battery and a powerful 120 kW electric motor.
• The all-electric mode achieves a range of approximately 10-15 miles in city driving and a top speed of 62 mph.
• Fully recharging the battery will take 3 to 4 hours using a 120-volt outlet and 1 to 1.5 hours using a 240-volt outlet.

Now, Automotive News (sub. req.) reports that the prototype plug-in Accord features a "suitcase-sized" lithium-ion battery pack that robs the mid-size sedan of much of its trunk space. Furthermore, AN claims that the plug-in version of the Accord – complete with an aluminum hood and other weight-reducing features – tips the scales at 330 pounds more than its gas-engined counterpart. According to AN, an engineer involved with Honda's plug-in project says that testing will continue through the end of 2011. As we see it, a porky mid-size sedan without much in the way of trunk space probably won't be the type of vehicle that knocks the Toyota Prius from its chart-topping hybrid sales position.


Source: Autoblog Green

Honda Claims Plug-in Hybrid Will Have up to 15 miles of Electric Range

Prototype Honda PHEV (in Accord Body)

The new line of mid-sized plug-in hybrids that Honda Motor Co. aims to introduce next year will be able to travel up to 15 miles in electric-only mode, an executive says.

That would counter criticism that Honda's current hybrid technology is too weak to provide extended motor-only travel. The Integrated Motor Assist system used in the Honda Insight, Civic and CR-Z hybrids uses the electric motor mostly to assist the gasoline engine.

The new technology, which is scheduled to debut in 2012, is a two-motor system that runs on a lithium ion battery. The battery will be supplied through Blue Energy Co., Honda's battery joint venture with GS Yuasa Corp, said Hirohisa Ogawa, a chief engineer of battery research at Honda.

Ogawa, speaking at the International Rechargeable Battery Expo in Tokyo, said the new plug-ins would be able to run nine to 15 miles in electric-only mode.

Honda began testing the vehicles late last year, he added.

President Takanobu Ito has said his engineers are preparing to put the system in the Accord mid-sized sedan. Honda discontinued an earlier hybrid Accord, which was equipped with the Integrated Motor Assist system, in part because it was underpowered.

Some preliminary specs:

• This new hybrid system is designed for mid-size to larger vehicles and will be introduced in a future Honda model in 2012.
• The plug-in hybrid allows for short, frequent trips in all-electric mode.
• The Honda two-motor system continuously moves through three different modes to maximize driving efficiency: all-electric, gasoline-electric and a unique, engine direct-drive mode.
• In all-electric mode, the vehicle uses a 6kWh lithium-ion battery and a powerful 120 kW electric motor.
• The all-electric mode achieves a range of approximately 10-15 miles in city driving and a top speed of 62 mph.
• Fully recharging the battery will take 3 to 4 hours using a 120-volt outlet and 1 to 1.5 hours using a 240-volt outlet.

Source: Autoweek