Honda Motor Company commits to brand-wide electrification

In an announcement made by Honda Motor Company president and CEO Mr. Takahiro Hachigo at last week’s Detroit Auto Show press days, 50% of all Honda cars and light trucks introduced to market over the next two years will be electrified. That’s an unprecedented commitment by the world’s largest internal combustion engine manufacturers on the road to zero emissions.

Fuel Cell, Hybrid, and plug in

Hachigo San spoke on to express a bit of direction as to the application of Honda’s road proven one engine, two electric motor gasoline/ electric hybrid propulsion. Essentially an electrified torque vectoring, Atkinson cycle engine co-generated transmission-less car, Honda sees a future of super low emission, high fuel efficiency personal transportation, offering exceptional person to car connectivity, ease of operation, and near-autonomous accident avoidance, as demonstrated by the 2017 Honda Accord Touring.

I predicted that 2017 Ridgeline would come of the line with a hybrid option

I was wrong. But, reading between the lines of president Hachigo’s address, it wouldn’t surprise me to see a near future CR-V Hybrid or Pilot, along with a Civic Hybrid, and of course, as earlier promised, an expanded Clarity based lineup --featuring a long range battery plugin, a gasoline/electric hybrid, and the just released 2017 Honda Clarity FCV, the only 5-passenger fuel cell sedan in America. Read our latest take on Clarity here.

Truthfully, all one has to do is look no farther than the roads of Japan for an answer as to the future of Honda hybrids in the U.S.. Read my Tokyo adventure here.

Honda’s not alone: With Tesla picking up steam, Chrysler presenting the mainstream 2017 Pacifica Hybrid, and Toyota moving ahead with MIrai FCEV, the horn has blown at the starting line of an industry-wide electrification of the automobile, 100 years or so in the making.