Honda Insight Hybrid To Be Canned By 2015?

by Anthony Ingram of www.greencarreports.com

Honda's Insight has never enjoyed the success of the Toyota Prius or even Honda's own Civic Hybrid, and it looks like the writing is now finally on the wall for the budget hybrid hatchback.

According to Autoblog Green, sources within the company have revealed that some preparation procedures normally associated with a new model launch--such as preparing advertising materials--are not taking place. It suggests that Honda doesn't intend to extend the Insight into the 2015 model year.

Few will shed a tear at this news, though it does leave a gap at the lower end of the hybrid market. Despite the Insight's compact body, it's actually the cheapest hybrid vehicle on sale--undercutting the Toyota Prius C by a small margin and significantly undercutting Honda's own Civic Hybrid.

At the same time, the Insight has never really enjoyed the sales success of Toyota's hybrids. While admirably efficient in real-world driving its 42 mpg combined economy rating doesn't really stand out, and its 1.3-liter Integrated Motor Assist hybrid drivetrain offers only modest performance.

Honda itself has neither confirmed nor denied the rumors, but it wouldn't come as a shock if Honda does pull the plug.

Last year, we described the Insight as the "forgotten hybrid"--with low sales since its introduction in 2009, scraping 20,000 units in its first two years and little over 15,000 in 2011. In 2012, the model sold just 22,440 units globally--one seventeenth the number of Prius sold worldwide despite a much lower price tag.
It looks unlikely Honda will bring an Insight replacement to the U.S. either, even if it produces one for other markets.

That gap could instead be filled by the next-generation Honda Fit Hybrid, a car we drove in Japan last month. The Insight is based on the previous Fit's floorpan, and it's likely a future model would use the new Fit's underpinnings.

The Fit has always sold better than the Insight--moving nearly 50,000 units last year and as many as 79,000 in 2008--so it makes much more sense to import that model, rather than try another Insight. Whether Honda will or not is a different matter...

Source;
http://www.greencarreports.com/news/1088943_honda-insight-hybrid-to-be-canned-by-2015

Honda CR-Z Hits 100,000 Miles Without Skipping A Beat

by Philippe Crowe of www.hybridcars.com

A 2010 Honda CR-Z has hit the landmark of clocking up 100,000 miles in just three years.

The car is part of a UK-based ten-strong fleet made up purely of Honda hybrids, also including Jazz and Insight models, which has racked up an amazing half a million miles since 2010.

The fleet is owned and run by Renewable Solutions UK, designers and installers of Renewable Energy Systems for business and domestic customers.

With the cars used on a daily basis in its work up and down the country, Mike Lowes, Managing Director of Renewable Solutions UK commented: “Honda hybrids are a perfect fit for our business, with the efficiency of battery power and the many environmental and financial benefits this brings. The fleet is worked very hard, every day, for both short and long journeys, but we’ve only ever had to pay for standard servicing and wear and tear costs, and no major breakdowns. They just keep going without skipping a beat!”

The fleet has been built up over the last three years with all of the cars bought from Greenacre Honda in Blackburn.

“We have complete free rein in what we buy and where we buy it from, so the fact that we stick with Honda is testament to the trust we have in the brand,” continued Mike Lowes. “Honda hybrids are a reliable, no-compromise solution to our needs, and Greenacre have offered us great customer service and value for money.”

Renewable Solutions UK offers a complete range of Sustainable Energy Systems to domestic, commercial and agricultural clients. The company installs Wind Turbines, Solar Panels, Biomass boilers and Heat pumps. Working across the country and internationally, it offers a range of tariffs, grants and funding solutions to clients.

Honda UK offers a range of three gasoline-electric hybrids, which currently includes the CR-Z, Insight and Jazz models.

The CR-Z is the world’s first sporty hybrid coupe, delivering a combined 56.5 mpg with CO2 emissions of just 116 g/km. It features three driving modes and a six speed manual gearbox.

Source;
http://www.hybridcars.com/honda-cr-z-hits-100000-miles-without-skipping-a-beat/