Honda Civic goes green with mileage envy

They have long ruled American roads, standing out as a symbol for the gas-conscious and green chic in what’s a guzzlers’ paradise. Now hybrids have finally debuted in India. Honda Siel launched India’s first ever hybrid vehicle last week with the Civic sedan. The company, which had announced its decision to introduce the Civic hybrid in India and had even showcased its fuel cell car at the auto show to highlight its green genes, does not expect the Civic to roll in the kind of big volumes it has generated in the US mostly because of the 104% customs duty on all-import cars which makes it very expensive. In the US, hybrids have scored not just because of their mileage and green footprint but also due to tax breaks which make them affordable. For Honda, the hybrid in India is a positioning plank for its technology. So what exactly is a hybrid? It’s essentially a petrol-electric dual fuel vehicle that offers better mileage along with lower emission.The Honda Civic Hybrid System features a three stage i-VTEC +IMA that employs Honda’s 1.3 litre o-VTEC (variable valve timing and lift electronic control) petrol engine to provide three stages of valve timing (low speed, high speed and cylinder idle mode) combined with a compact and efficient electric motor, namely the IMA (integrated motor assist) system. Together with its CVT transmission, the system provides nearly 50% improved fuel efficiency than the usual 1.8 litre automatic Civic but offers performance that’s just as peppy. The Civic Hybrid can deactivate all its four cylinders and operate on the just the electric motor when it is in steady cruising mode. Also when you press the brake and the cars stops, the combustion engine switches off. Both these factors are responsible for the fuel efficiency that it promises.

Honda to suspend car output at more China plants

Japan's No.2 automaker had suspended production at two major car factories and an engine plant in the southern city of Guangzhou due to flooding from heavy rains. It said last week the factory held with Dongfeng in the central Chinese city of Wuhan could also be suspended in the event of a supply bottleneck. [ID:nT251332]

The engine factory in Guangzhou, also owned jointly with Dongfeng, supplies some engine parts to the Wuhan factory, which builds CR-V sport utility vehicles and Civic sedan models.

Honda said it was unclear how much damage, if any, the facilities in Guangzhou suffered from the flooding. The engine factory and one of the car factories were suspended for four days last week. The other car plant was undamaged but shuttered for two days since engine supply was disrupted.

The two car factories, run jointly with Guangzhou Automobile Group Co, build the Accord, Odyssey, Fit and City models and have a combined annual production capacity of 360,000 vehicles.

Production only of engines and cars that were already on the assembly lines when operations were halted would resume on Tuesday to gauge any damage to the facilities, the spokeswoman said. Honda will decide late on Tuesday how to proceed on the following day, she said.