Honda To Sell Plug-in Car in 2013

Tokyo July 20, 2010; Siddharth Cavale writing for Reuters reported that Honda Motor Co is working on a hybrid car that can be recharged at home and an all-electric vehicle, both for release in about three years, the Nikkei business daily reported.

Honda is also considering building hybrids in the United States, the paper said.

Conventional hybrids are cars that can charge their own batteries, which turn a motor that assists a gasoline-powered engine providing most of the power. Plug-in hybrids, on the other hand, can make short trips using the motor alone, the Nikkei said.

Honda expects its plug-in hybrid to go 60 km or more on a single litre of gas, making it more fuel-efficient than rival Toyota Motor Corp's best-selling hybrid, the Prius, the daily said.

Honda will release its electric car in the United States first, the daily reported.

The company is considering manufacturing the Honda Insight and two other hybrids in the U.S. markets and plans to expand its lineup of hybrids to five or so by 2013, the Nikkei said.

Honda President Takanobu Ito will announce the company's hybrid and alternative vehicle plans at a news conference on Tuesday, the paper reported.

Editing for Reuters by Maju Samuel