Wednesday, April 20, 2011

Honda to produce electric cars in China in 2012

Honda to produce electric cars in China in 2012 : Honda Motor Co aims to produce electric cars in China as early as next year, the company’s President and Chief Executive Officer Takanobu Ito said Tuesday. Ito made the remarks at the Auto Shanghai 2011 exhibition, where Honda is displaying its Fit EV Concept battery electric vehicle, hybrid vehicles and other environmentally friendly automobiles and electromotive technologies.

‘‘Honda is working toward the goal to begin production of EVs in China in 2012,’’ he said.

Ito also said Honda has reached a basic agreement with China’s southern city of Guangzhou and the Guangzhou Automobile Group Co to conduct demonstration testing of EVs.

‘‘This testing will verify how practical and convenient the EVs Honda is currently developing will be within the city of Guangzhou and what will be the ideal infrastructure for society toward achieving the widespread use of EVs,’’ he said.

Regarding hybrid vehicles, Ito noted that the Civic Hybrid is already sold in China, and he said the Honda will from next year export the Insight, CR-Z and Fit hybrid models to China from Japan.

‘‘We are also preparing for local production of these hybrid vehicles in China so as to offer hybrids to our Chinese customers as quickly and with prices as reasonable as possible. This will include obtaining core components of the hybrid system such as the battery and motor in China,’’ he said.

Also on display at the exhibition is Honda’s Integrated Motor Assist hybrid system featuring a lithium-ion battery, which is making its world premiere, and the company’s next-generation plug-in hybrid platform, making its China premiere.

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