Demand is so high for green cars after government incentives were introduced in Japan, that the Honda Motor Company, the country’s number two car manufacturer, has said it will start partial weekend shifts at two factories in a bid to push low emission vehicles off the production line.
According to the plans, Honda will add one or two days of weekend work at its Suzuka factory which makes the Insight Hybrid and the Fit subcompact. It will also boost production at a plant in Saitama Prefecture, where the Fit and Freed minivan are made. It is also expected to restart a second shift at one of the two lines at its Sayama plant, which will boost daily output at the line from 550 cars to 900 cars.
The move comes after Japan lowered taxes on fuel efficient cars to push consumers into swapping their old cars for newer, greener alternatives from home-grown manufacturers including Toyota, Honda and Nissan.
A calculation of Honda’s weekend output shows production would edge up roughly 13,900 units over four months through October although, according to a spokesman, the plans do not mean an immediate change to the company’s goal of producing 900,000 cars in Japan during this business year.
Honda also has plans to launch its CR-Z hybrid sports car next February as well as a petrol-electric version of the Fit by the end of 2010.
