Honda to Sell Cheaper Hybrid in 2009

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Washington DC May 21, 2008; The AIADA newsletter reported that Honda Motor Co. announced today that it will launch a new, affordable gas-electric hybrid car in the U.S., Japan, and Europe in early 2009.

The vehicle will be one of four new hybrid models the car maker plans to release by 2015 to challenge Toyota's dominance in the green car market. These new vehicle launches, which will include a hybrid version of the Fit, highlight Honda's aggressive new push to reclaim its role as a leader in green car technology.

The Wall Street Journal reports that Honda now has an ambitious goal to sell 500,000 hybrids per year sometime after 2010. The vehicle - which is still unnamed - will be sold only as a hybrid, as is the Toyota Prius.

Honda expects to sell about 200,000 of the new vehicles annually, half of those in the U.S. market. The car is based on the design of the FCX Clarity, the fuel-cell vehicle.

Honda President Takeo Fukui said it would be affordable and that weight reduction, more compact components, and new technologies will help increase fuel efficiency.