Showing posts with label Hondas Green Cars. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Hondas Green Cars. Show all posts

Thursday, March 3, 2011

President and Director of Honda R&D Co. Ltd., Mr. Tomohiko Kawanabe, interviewed at Geneva Motor Show 2011


On Honda's R&D Strategy:

Honda has always been in the forefront of developing technologies which provide a positive contribution to people's lives and to society as a whole and this will never change.

So in our R&D activities, Honda will always strive to be a world leader in all manner of technologies which are really useful for mankind. This is nothing new - it was the philosophy of our founder Soichiro Honda - and it will continue to shape the direction of our R&D in the future.

On how Honda's sporting/racing heritage be incorporated in future models:

Motor racing and sports cars have always been an essential part of Honda's DNA. It's too early to talk about specific replacements for sporting models such as the Civic Type R, the S2000 and the NSX but you can be sure we are actively involved right now in evaluating and analysing just how our sporting DNA can be incorporated into our future model range.

On safety:
Honda has always been a leader in the field of safety technology and we intend to continue to lead in the future. Last year we received a Euro NCAP Advanced award for our CMBS - Collision Mitigation Brake System and of course this is a great honour. But for the future we believe that what we call "intelligent technology" will become more and more important in terms of automobile technology and so we have established the Honda Research Institute near Frankfurt whose specific brief is to develop these fundamental new technologies in collaboration with outside institutions such as Universities. So this is where we are directing our efforts in the field of automobile safety for the future.

On Honda's vision for sustainable mobility:

The whole concept of sustainable mobility is vitally important. In the short term our approach is to improve the efficiency of the internal combustion engine - both petrol and diesel engines - but this is not enough to really talk about sustainable mobility.

For that we need to think about renewable energies and also renewable energy carriers such as electricity or hydrogen to ensure that we can provide the most appropriate energy source for different requirements.

So therefore Honda is also putting a great deal of effort into developing these renewable energy technologies in an environmentally friendly manner. For example, Honda is already producing solar panels so we can produce electricity from solar energy and this energy can then be used to produce hydrogen very efficiently. We are also working on technologies to produce Ethanol as an energy carrier. So our approach is that it's not just the engine and powertrain that need to be optimised but we also have to think about the energy production side of the equation. When we reach that point, then we can really start talking about sustainable mobility.
Source;

Friday, January 8, 2010

Niedermayer Receives New Honda FCX Clarity

In front of the arena that bears their name and logo on Wednesday morning, Honda presented Ducks captain and defenseman Scott Niedermayer with the keys to a hydrogen fuel cell electric vehicle – the FCX Clarity.

The vehicle runs off electricity through hydrogen, which is stored in a tank within its confines. The Honda FCX Clarity’s only emission is water vapor and in comparison to gasoline-powered automobile, its fuel efficiency is three times greater. For an environmental enthusiast like Niedermayer, getting the chance to drive the car is a thrill.

“The environment, a healthy planet, all these things have been fairly important to me,” said Niedermayer in front of a crowd gathered in the parking lot of the Ducks home arena. “It’s a passion I have. To be able to be given this opportunity from Honda to drive a fuel cell car like this is very exciting for me, that is for sure.”

Honda, a leader in alternative fuel vehicles, first developed a pure battery electric vehicle back in the 1990s. At the same time, the company created a natural gas car. From there, they progressed toward the start of advanced fuel cell electric vehicle program in 2002 with the delivery of the original FCX to the city of Los Angeles. The first all-new FCX Clarity was distributed in June 2008.

“There is a huge expectation because of our heritage of being a very environmentally conscious company that we will be at the forefront,” said John Mendel, executive vice president of auto sales for American Honda. “That is the stuff that gets you up every morning to push even harder to fulfill the needs of customers. We will not let them down.”

Honda felt selecting Niedermayer to be the latest driver of the FCX Clarity was an easy decision, considering his background with the environment and his success on the ice.

“We look for people who are passionate about the environment,” Mendel said. “It’s probably the best way to get high profile people who actually live a green lifestyle and care about the environment to utilize vehicles in a mainstream way. Scott is yet another very important lynchpin in that. It’s certainly a coup to him for being named to the Canadian team. It couldn’t have come at a better time and we’re very proud to have him driving the car.”

Already the owner of one hybrid vehicle, Niedermayer is pleased the FCX Clarity allows him to further reduce his carbon footprint. “To be able to have a car like this that has zero emissions is a pretty big step,” he said. “It’s hard to believe that as I’ll be driving down the road, there will be a bit of water vapor coming out of the car and that will be it.”

Delivering the FCX Clarity to Niedermayer is just the latest in a thoroughly successful partnership between Honda and the Anaheim Ducks. It is bond that dates back to October 2006 when the Ducks home arena officially became known as Honda Center.

“We were reminiscing today about the very first event we had here at Honda Center, the unveiling of the name,” Mendel said. “That partnership has just strengthened over time and this is yet another piece, a very important piece for us, Honda Center and Southern California.”

Source;
http://ducks.nhl.com/club/news.htm?id=512613

Monday, December 22, 2008

Honda outlines its green car future

It’s the time of year when most of us take stock of what’s gone before and evaluate our futures - and Japanese car maker Honda is no exception.

Its CEO Takeo Fukui has outlined the steps that Honda is taking in the short-term to tackle the global financial crisis while also addressing the company’s long term green car commitments.

According to Fukui, Honda will concentrate its efforts on the development of fuel efficient cars more than ever. He has outlined hybrid models of both small cars and motorcycles as the key to achieving this goal. Honda believes that hybrid technology is the most realistic path to carbon dioxide (CO2) reduction at this moment and will be focusing its energies on hybrids in an effort to achieve mass market penetration.

In particular, the eagerly anticipated Honda Insight, which will debut at January’s Detroit show, has been strongly emphasised while the company will also consider applying hybrid technology to medium and large-size vehicles.

To support the sale of hybrid models, the company will strengthen its manufacturing system. Production of the hybrid motor for the IMA system has already begun for the first time at the Suzuka Factory and motor capacity will be increased to 250,000 units annually. Honda will also establish a production system and determine the capabilities needed for a further increase in demand for hybrid cars.

In addition, Honda will focus on accelerating product development of small cars to fulfil strong demand from customers, particularly in emerging countries. A new small car will be positioned in the class below the Fit and be introduced in the next two-three years.

Honda will also remain committed to advancing its global production system with a central focus on Japan and in creating fuel-efficient products. According to Fukui, Honda is developing a battery powered electric motorcycle to be introduced to the market in around two years.

Source;
http://www.thegreencarwebsite.co.uk/blog/index.php/2008/12/22/honda-outlines-its-green-car-future/