Product Domain
Through its unique technologies, Honda provides products that demonstrate environmental performance above the regulatory requirements established in each country in terms of reduced exhaust emissions and improved fuel economy. We are willing to contribute to the achievement of a sustainable mobility society by meeting people’s mobility needs while minimizing the environmental impacts caused by our products. In the product domain, we are implementing measures based on the following three approaches.1. Further improvements in the reduction of exhaust emissions from internal-combustion engines and increased fuel economy
2. Evolution of hybrid vehicles
3. Promotion of alternative fuel-powered vehicles
Further Advancements in Exhaust Emissions Reduction and Fuel Economy
• North America (United States)
In the United States, Honda has always provided the market with low emission vehicles that perform higher than what is required by emissions regulations. Specifically, we introduced the first gasoline-powered low emission vehicles (LEV), ultra low emission vehicles (ULEV), and super ultra low emission vehicles (SULEV) in the market. Currently, nearly all Honda/Acura branded vehicles meet or exceed the EPA Tier 2/Bin 5 emissions standards (NOx: 0.07 g/mile). • Transition in average fuel economy (in the United States)
Civic (in the United States)
• Europe
In Europe, starting with the remodeled Civic released in 2001, Honda has been increasing the number of models that meet the Euro IV emissions standards by making environmental improvements to these models at the time of their first model change. In addition, we launch hybrid vehicles, clean diesel vehicles, and models that have higher fuel economy into the market to ensure that CO2 emissions are reduced. As a particular example, we introduced an Accord equipped with Honda’s independently-developed 2.2-liter diesel engine in December 2003, and subsequently expanded the use of this engine to include the CR-V, FR-V (Edix in Japan), and a new Civic that went on sale in January 2006. We also released a CR-V equipped with a diesel particulate filter (DPF) to achieve higher fuel economy and cleaner exhaust emissions.
Civic Diesel (in Europe)
• Asia and Oceania
In Thailand, since we began the local production and sale of the Jazz (Fit in Japan), which achieved the Euro IV emissions standards far earlier than the scheduled enforcement of the standards, all of our models sold in the country have met the Euro IV emissions level.
Jazz (in Thailand)
• China
In December 2005, the city of Beijing enforced the Euro III level emissions standards. All Honda models marketed in China have already conformed to the standards.Evolution of Hybrid Vehicles
Honda introduced the Insight in November 1999, the first hybrid car equipped with Honda’s Integrated Motor Assist (IMA) system that achieved the world’s highest fuel economy as a mass-produced gasoline-powered vehicle. In North America, Honda subsequently began marketing the Civic Hybrid in April 2002 (in December 2001 in Japan), and the Accord Hybrid in December 2004, adopting Honda’s Variable Cylinder Management (VCM) system for its V6 engine. Furthermore, in November 2005, we released a Civic Hybrid equipped with the New Honda Hybrid System, featuring 3- Stage i-VTEC + IMA. We are now developing a new hybrid vehicle to provide the world’s major markets with a more fuel efficient hybrid vehicle suitable for family use at a more affordable price, thereby contributing to reducing CO2 emissions.
Civic Hybrid (in the United States)
Promotion of Alternative Fuel Vehicles
• North America (United States)
In the United States, we leased 19 fuel cell vehicles (the FCX), including one leased to an individual. (We leased a total of 30 FCX vehicles in Japan and the United States.) In Torrance, California, we are continuing experiments on hydrogen fueling stations, including the third generation Home Energy Station, which also supplies both heat and electricity to general households. We promoted sales of the Civic GX natural-gas vehicle and made efforts to provide more natural-gas refueling opportunities to users, such as providing a home refueling appliance for household use at more affordable prices. We are thus playing a leading role in promoting alternative fuel-powered vehicles.
Ceremony for the delivery of Honda’s FCX fuel cell vehicle to the world’s first personal user of this car
Civic GX and the Phill natural-gas refueling equipment for household use
• South America (Brazil)
In Brazil, where ethanol fuel made from sugarcane is widely used, Honda has been implementing measures to deal with ethanol that contains gasoline for motorcycles since the middle of the 1980s and, subsequently, for automobiles.At present, fuels that contain higher proportions of ethanol, including a 100% ethanol fuel called E100, are sold in the country, and Honda plans to launch a flex-fuel vehicle (FFV) that can run on fuel containing any proportion of ethanol in 2006.
• Development of other products
Total sales of Honda’s small cogeneration unit for household use have reached 20,000 in Japan since its release in March 2003. In the United States, we will start selling this unit on a trial basis in 2006 and to general consumers in 2007.Also in 2007, as equipment that generates energy without emitting CO2, we will start the production of next-generation nonsilicon thin-film solar cell panels at a new domestic plant that has an annual production capacity of 27.5 MW.
Small household cogeneration unit
