Honda is set to unveil a new hybrid version of its popular Jazz model at the Paris Motor Show this September.

The supermini is set to make its world debut at the Paris Show when the doors open to the press on September 30. Set to be the world’s first mass-produced B-Class hybrid, the Jazz will benefit from the same petrol-electric IMA system that the Japanese carmaker uses on its other hybrid models including the Insight and CR-Z.

A hybrid Jazz is set to go on sale in the UK in early 2011 and will offer lower CO2 emissions and improved fuel economy over the already-frugal standard models of the range.

The car will feature the same engine as the Insight hybrid; a 1.3-litre i-VTEC engine combined with a CVT gearbox, with an electric motor sandwiched between the two to create a parallel hybrid system. The hybrid Jazz – like the Insight and Civic Hybrid models – will be capable of running on the electric motor alone under some medium and low speed conditions.

Visually, this new, cleaner Jazz is distinguished from the current range by revised headlights with a blue surround, clear rear lights, new front grille, restyled bumpers and a chrome tailgate garnish. The new hybrid will also be available in a range of existing colours plus a bespoke Lime Green metallic (pictured).

Inside, the cabin is also given a fresh look, with darker single colour dashboard with the blue lighting of the dials and dashboard instruments. The new hybrid is also available with leather trim, the first time this has been available on a Jazz model in Europe.

Exact mpg and emissions data will be released at the Paris Motor Show, which is set to run from September 30 to October 17. No price details have yet been released but are likely to be revealed nearer the time of the model’s launch (expect it to cost significantly more than the base model of the current Jazz range, though).

Along with the new hybrid Jazz, Honda will display the 2011 model year Insight, CR-Z, Jazz, CR-V, Accord and Accord Tourer, as well as a stylish PCX scooter with low emission idle-stop 125cc engine.

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A software fix for Honda’s Civic hybrid model may reduce the vehicle’s fuel efficiency, the Los Angeles Times reports.

According to the publication, Honda is offering a software upgrade on some its Civic hybrid models to customers in the US and Canada after it discovered that batteries used in the model may not last as long as first expected.

The upgrade is designed to prolong the life of the car’s battery by limiting the role of the electric motor and increasing the use of the gasoline engine. However according to the US newspaper, the software update is leading some owners to claim that it has made their cars less environmentally friendly.

One such hybrid owner Jason Marchesano of Overland Park, Kan told the newspaper that the battery in his 2007 Civic hybrid started losing its ability to hold a charge last year. Rather than replace the battery, which was under warranty, the Japanese carmaker loaded a new software programme into the car’s on-board computer that Jason now says made his car sluggish and cut the vehicle’s miles to the gallon efficiency.

After complaining again several weeks ago, Honda installed a second software update, cutting efficiency further. Today Jason says he gets just 33 miles per gallon, compared with 45 when the car was new.

"I’ve been sitting here scratching my head and asking, why did I get a hybrid?" said Marchesano, a computer consultant whose hybrid’s gas mileage these days not much more than the US fuel efficiency rating for the conventional Civic, at around 30 mpg and costs thousands of dollars less.

Now Marchesano and other hybrid owners fear that Honda is sacrificing their vehicles’ performance in order to avoid the huge cost of replacing thousands of faulty batteries, which are still under eight- or 10-year warranties and cost as much as $3,000 each to replace.

Those worries were heightened in recent weeks when the Japanese carmaker sent letters to more than 100,000 owners of 2006, 2007 and 2008 Civics in the US and Canada warning that their batteries ‘may deteriorate and eventually fail’ earlier than expected. The letter said a software patch would fix the problem.

Honda says the free software update is designed to make the car run better.

"This is certainly not a financial decision," Honda spokesman Chris Martin told the newspaper. "This is not just to prolong the life of the battery, it also helps improve the performance."

It does that, he said, by ensuring that the battery doesn’t crash at crucial times. And, he said, it could preserve the battery beyond the warranty period.

Source: LA Times.

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The brand new Honda Fit Hybrid is expected to be the cheapest hybrid car around when it launches in October.

According to a report by Kyodo, the Honda Motor Company has decided to sell its new hybrid car for Y1.59million in Japan – making it the cheapest petrol-electric hybrid car available in the country.

In fact, the Honda Fit will be 300,000Yen cheaper than the Honda Insight Hybrid when it was put on sale in February last year. It is also likely to accelerate competition in the green car sector between Honda and Toyota, which is expected to release its own compact hybrid next year that will do more than 94mpg and have a price tag of around Y1.5million.

The new Fit has fuel economy of 70.6mpg and features a 1.3litre engine and electric motor.

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Japanese car buyers are reaping the rewards of government subsidies for environmentally friendly cars.

The subsidies, which are due to expire at the end of September, helped sales of new vehicles in the country climb by 12.9 per cent during July to 486,606 units.

The Toyota Motor Corporation saw its sales shoot up by 19.1 per cent during the month thanks in large to the Prius Hybrid; while Honda enjoyed a 13.3 per cent jump partly based on the popularity of the Fit sub-compact and the Step WGN mini-van. Meanwhile, the Demio sub-compact helped boost Mazda’s sales volume by 25.3 per cent.

According to the Mitsubishi Motors Corporation, automakers are now stepping up their marketing activity to urge customers still driving old vehicles to buy new ones before the subsidies expire.

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An editorial in Japanese business daily the Nikkei, has urged home-grown car manufacturers to keep pace with China and the US in the changing global market for electric vehicles.

The article outlines that both Toyota and Honda had pinned their hopes on hybrid vehicles even though electric vehicles were gaining in popularity and now they are playing catch up, accelerating their efforts to develop electric cars.

It believes their moves have been pushed by two factors. The first is the introduction of tough new fuel economy rules by the US administration; and the second is the heightened focus on electric cars in China. At the end of 2009, Beijing announced a target of increasing the share of electric cars in overall domestic production to 10 per cent by 2015 with a government subsidy programme also boosting sales.

Effectively China has jumped ahead by skipping the transitional era of hybrid vehicles and focusing on battery electric vehicles – and with China now the world’s largest car market it will have a huge impact on the industry as a whole.

With China determined to establish leadership in the market, the pressure is on Japanese car makers to develop electric vehicles quickly that can compete with China’s offerings.

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Honda has revealed plans to introduce a new small diesel engine exclusively for the European market. The carmaker also revealed that it intends to retail a battery electric vehicle in Japan and the US by 2012, with trials set to start this year.

The announcements were made by the carmaker’s CEO and president,Takanobu Ito, has he delivered his mid-year speech, a year after taking control of the firm. As part of his speech, Mr Ito explained how Honda’s future was reliant on the success of new green alternatives. He said the firm’s commitment to cutting CO2 emissions from it products was built upon a “conviction based on the strong sense of crisis that, as a manufacturer of personal mobility, Honda will have no future unless we achieve a significant reduction of CO₂ emissions.”

Adding: “Honda is totally committed to provide good products with speed, affordability and low CO2 emissions.”

He also outlined plans for the manufacturer to expand the use of its IMA hybrid system, currently used in its CR-Z and Insight models.The firm is planning to introduce multiple models fitted its hybrid system, mainly small-sized vehicles in Japan within approximately one year from now. The first one will be the Fit Hybrid which will be introduced to the Japanese market this autumn.

Meanwhile a new plug-in hybrid system for mid-size to larger vehicles is currently under development. Vehicles equipped with this new system are scheduled to go on sale in 2012 in Japan and the US.

In addition to the currently available 2.2-litre engine, Honda is making progress in the development of a smaller diesel engine. A model equipped with this new smaller diesel engine will be introduced in Europe in 2012.

In the long-term, the carmaker still envisages that fuel-cell electric vehicles will provide the ultimate mobility. Honda will continue working on the technological advancement of the FCX Clarity as well as our hydrogen refuelling systems.

As part of its development of electric vehicles, the carmaker will, starting by the end of this year, begin demonstration testing of prototype battery-electric vehicles and plug-in hybrid vehicles with participants including Stanford University, Google Inc. and the City of Torrance, California. In Japan, likewise the carmaker intends that to trial electric cars and test supporting infrastructure.

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The Honda CR-Z hybrid is the star attraction of a new street art installation outside the Royal College of Arts (RCA).

Since Monday (July 5) the street art collective Agents of Change had been creating a bespoke piece of graffiti as a backdrop to a display outside the RCA. The new installation, of which the new sports coupe hybrid model forms an integral part, was unveiled on Wednesday (July 7) to the passing public. The car is adorned in vinyl graphics to reflect the core colour scheme of the street art.

The street art incorporated a red, green and blue colour scheme – a reference to the three driving modes of the CR-Z – ECON (green), NORMAL (blue) and SPORT (red).

Agents of Change are among the 20 ‘Cultural Engineers’ celebrated by Honda as part of its Dream Factory activity in the UK. The carmaker is celebrating their inspiring stories and ground-breaking achievements its selected array of artists, musicians and filmmakers through a website, a limited edition book, an eclectic exhibition in London and a series of nationwide workshops. For more information on the work of the Cultural Engineers, visit: http://www.dreamfactoryuk.com.

The CR-Z-Honda’s newest hybrid offering went on sale back in June. The sporty 2+2 coupe is priced from £16,999 and boasts CO2 emissions from 117 g/km and fuel economy from 56.4mpg on a combined cycle.

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Japanese manufacturer Honda has applied its fuel saving technology to its minivan range as indicated by the unveiling of the 2011 Odyssey.

The Honda Odyssey minivan has a lower roofline compared to the current model – down 1.6inches compared to the 2010 version – and also has a wider track – around 1.4inches wider. This helps contribute to a sleeker, stronger and more dynamic presence with the aerodynamics vastly improved to help increase fuel economy.

The new 2011 Honda Odyssey.

So how does this vehicle stack up? It is rated at 19mpg city and 28mpg highway – the preliminary EPA mileage estimates have been determined by Honda.

Further details will be revealed closer to the on-sale date, but we do know that the 2011 model will include a 3.5litre i-VTEC V-6 engine with three-mode variable cylinder management that is sure to cement its position as the best-selling minivan in the US.

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Where we stand: June 2010

Honda launches its third hybrid car – the CR-Z (see article) – in the UK this summer after making it available for order in March, with pricing starting at £16,999 and hopes high that it can sell around 3,000 units here per year. Dubbed as the world’s first hybrid sports car its power comes from Honda’s Integrated Motor Assist (IMA) technology borrowed from the Insight, but it also boasts a 1.5litre engine and 20bhp electric motor with combined outputs of 128lb ft of torque.

Despite this exciting innovation, hybrid vehicles are just part of Honda’s green car strategy which also includes compressed natural gas vehicles; flexible fuel cars; and hydrogen fuel cell vehicles.

Honda today

In 1999, Honda launched the first commercial hybrid electric car to be sold in the US, known as the Honda Insight – it beat the Toyota Prius to dealerships by around one month. The vehicle was produced from model years 2000-2006 and was the most fuel efficient car at the time – but sold only 18,000 units globally.

There are actually four hybrid cars available to date – the Honda Civic Hybrid, which was launched in 2002 and remains on sale today; the Honda Accord Hybrid which was offered from 2005-2007; the second generation Honda Insight which was launched in 2009 (see article); and the Honda CR-Z which was launched this year (see article).

However, hybrid electric vehicles are only the beginning of Honda’s green car programme. The Japanese manufacturer has also launched the Honda Civic GX (see article) in the US, which is the only natural gas vehicle commercially available in parts of the country. It first appeared in 1998 and in 2001 was rated as the cleanest internal combustion engine in the world by the US Environmental Protection Agency. In Brazil, the company has also made a number of flex-fuel versions of its popular models available. For example, the Honda Civic and Honda Fit are both available as flex-fuel models while in July 2009 the company launched its third flexible fuel car in the country known as the Honda City (see article). Flex-fuel models have enjoyed considerable success in Brazil and by early 2009, 100 per cent of the manufacturer’s production for the market was flexible-fuel with only a small percentage of petrol models produced there for export.

Perhaps Honda’s most significant development however, is the Honda FCX Clarity, a hybrid hydrogen fuel cell vehicle that combines hydrogen and oxygen from ordinary air to generate electricity for its electric motor. Honda has been releasing the vehicle in groups of 150 with California currently the only US state with the infrastructure in place to support the programme. The vehicle even received praise on the UK’s Top Gear programme (see article).

Greenest models on sale:

The following are the greenest models of all Honda cars available now in the UK:

Honda Accord Saloon ES 2.2 i-DTEC (Diesel) Manual – 50.4mpg and 148g/km of CO2.
Honda Accord Tourer ES 2.2 i-DTEC (Diesel) Manual – 47.9mpg and 155g/km of CO2.

Honda Civic (Three Door) S-T 1.4 VTEC (Petrol) i-SHIFT – 49.6mpg and 132g/km of CO2.
Honda Civic (Five Door) SE 2.2 i-CTDi (Diesel) Manual – 55.4mpg and 134g/km of CO2.
Honda Civic Hybrid ES 1.4 IMA (Petrol Hybrid) CVT – 61.4mpg and 109/gkm of CO2.
Honda Civic Type R GT 2.0 iVTEC (Petrol) Manual – 31mpg and 215g/km of CO2.

Honda CR-V SE 2.2 i-DTEC (Diesel) Manual – 43.5mpg and 171g/km of CO2.

Honda CR-Z S 1.5 IMA (Petrol Hybrid) Manual – 56.5mpg and 117g/km of CO2.

Honda Insight SE 1.3 IMA (Petrol Hybrid) CVT – 64.2mpg and 101g/km of CO2.

Honda Jazz S 1.2 iVTEC (Petrol) Manual – 53.3mpg and 125g/km of CO2.

Honda tomorrow:

In addition to its current fleet of vehicles, Honda has several exciting concepts lined up for the coming years:

Honda 3R-C (see article) – A three-wheeled wonder that uses an electric drivetrain mounted in the chassis to give the vehicle a low centre of gravity. It represents a study into how future minimal urban transportation could look and is unlikely to make it to dealerships.

Honda EV-N (see article and pictured above) – A design study inspired by the 1967 N360 city car it includes solar panels on the roof which could charge it while parked and a lithium-ion battery pack.

Honda is also lining up a hybrid version of its Fit car and, at the Tokyo Motor Show in 2009 (see article), revealed plans for a six-seat hybrid car known as the Honda Skydeck which features a centrally mounted battery for more cabin space.

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Honda’s Insight model has proven its got the efficiency to do more after a new mileage marathon saw it beat its official mpg figure.

The carmaker challenged six high-mileage fleet drivers to test its hybrid model and on average they recorded an economy figure of 63.6 mpg- beating the official combined figure of 61.4mpg.

The drivers swapped their existing cars for a month of driving the Insight, to see if they save on their fuel bills. E-ON company car driver, Ray Hadlington, usually drives a Vauxhall Zafira Diesel. He improved his typical fuel economy by over 10mpg, which saved nearly £50 in fuel bills over the month.

“Fuel prices are likely to rise again due to the weaker pound, and with the recent increase in duty, fleets will be looking at how they can reduce their fuel costs,” says Graham Avent, Manager – Corporate Sales at Honda (UK).

“The results of this challenge show how switching the average company car driver into a Honda hybrid could save around £600 in fuel annually, or £1,800 over a 3-year contract.”

As the CO2 emissions of the Insight are just 101g/km it sits in the low 10 per cent Benefit in Kind (BIK) band. This means that company car tax starts from just £28 a month.

“Driving the Honda Insight was really no different from driving my Zafira, but the dashboard graphics reminded me to ease off the accelerator a little more than usual,” said winner Ray Hadlington. “The Benefit in Kind cost saving is probably the hardest element for me to ignore.”

The carmaker says fleets taking on the Honda Insight will also benefit from low whole life costs due to a combination of solid residual values, low SMR (service, maintenance and repair)costs and low fuel costs. In addition, Insight has low Class 1A National Insurance contributions and is exempt from the London congestion charge.

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