Honda hybrid specific model for 09

[SmartCard]

Of course, the more hybrids...the larger the battery shortage:

From Automotive News
"With gasoline at $4 a gallon, the market is screaming for more hybrids. But sales of hybrids dropped significantly in May. Battery shortages are crimping supplies of the Ford Escape Hybrid and Toyota Prius, two of the top-selling hybrids...."

looks like you can't win!

[Smart Car Geek]

Originally Posted by bottlerocket

Is there some type of unwritten rule that says anything hybrid specific has to be ugly??

I think the new hybrids and electric cars look great (except for the toyotas) especially the Tesla and the Smart roadster, while not hybrid it does show what direction they are headed

[bottlerocket]

No, I said hybrid-specific like the Prius, not previous models that have the hybrid powerplant added to them. I actually like the civic hybrid and considered getting one.

However I think the Prius is hideous, along with that Honda spy photo of their hybrid-specific model...

[chieftmc]

Looks like a fattened up Insight to me !

[Smart Car Geek]

Originally Posted by bottlerocket

However I think the Prius is hideous[/IMG]

So do I. They've never looked good.

According to Honda this is their new hybrid due out later this year. It looks so good that at first I didn't realize it was a 4-door I think this is the same car that you see in their ASIMO robot hybrid commercial. More info here. Video here. Interior here. It will cost less than the Prius, while delivering better MPG

[jwight]

Not sure about the graphic, but the videos are for the Clarity, Honda's fuel cell demo car. I believe it's larger than the new hybrid specific car.

http://automobiles.honda.com/fcx-clarity/

[Smart Car Geek]

Well they are coming out with at least TWO different hybrids this next year. The Clarity and the one which is around the size of the Fit (if the fit was a coupe). There's a lot of information from them about the Clarity, but little about the new Fit.

[jwight]

Can you link to the hybrid Clarity - all I can find is the fuel cell version. Thanks.

[Smart Car Geek]

Here ya go jwight As soon as I come across any more information about the new Fit I'll post it here also for you

EDIT: My bad. I just read where the Clarity is a Zero-Emission Vehicle. Now I'm confused because they said that this wasn't supposed to be in the U.S. until 2010... So does that mean that they moved it up a year? If so then it will be the first ZEV for sale in the country right?

[jwight]

Thanks - I'm confused too. The link you posted, as well as the one I posted earlier, both go to the fuel cell (hydrogen) powered car. Not being a hybrid, with water as its only byproduct, it would be a ZEV.