The five-passenger, five-door Insight will go on sale in the spring of 2009.
The Insight is expected to have annual global sales of 200,000 units per year - approximately 100,000 in North America - and will utilize a new interactive, driver-focused fuel economy enhancement technology named the Ecological Drive Assist System (Eco Assist™).
A leader in the development of cleaner, more fuel-efficient mobility products, Honda introduced to market the first mass produced low-emission gasoline vehicles; America's first commercially produced gas-electric hybrid car and the world's first EPA-certified hydrogen fuel-cell vehicle, the FCX.
In 2007, Honda was named "greenest automaker" by the Union of Concerned Scientists for the fourth straight time.
The CEO of Honda, Takeo Fukui, previously confirmed that the car will go on sale next year with a 1.3L petrol engine as part of its hybrid powertrain.
It is also expected to start under $19,000, making it the most affordable mass-market dedicated hybrid currently available. Honda expects global sales volumes of 200,000 cars, half of which will come from North America.
Fukui also revealed that the hybrid control module and nickel metal hydride batteries will be located under the cargo floor to maximize interior space.
Powering the vehicle will be the latest iteration of Honda’s Integrated Motor Assist (IMA) hybrid technology. Engineers managed to achieve a significant cost reduction for the technology, which Honda claims should make the Insight the most affordable hybrid vehicle to date.
+ Honda Insight Priced Around $19000, Challenger of Prius
+ 2008 Paris Auto Show: Honda Insight Hybrid Concept
The car will also feature a new interactive, driver-focused fuel economy enhancement technology named the Ecological Drive Assist System (Eco Assist™).
Honda aims to sell 200,000 Insights globally, per year. The hatchback will be the first of a new family of Honda hybrids, followed by a production version of the CR-Z concept sportscar, and a Jazz hybrid.
