Honda Announces Development of Breakthrough Emission Control System

    TORRANCE, Calif., March 22 Honda Motor Co., Ltd., and
Catalytic Solutions, Inc. (CSI), of Oxnard, Calif., have developed a
breakthrough emission control system that greatly reduces the use of costly
precious metals, Honda announced today.

    Honda holds a 10 percent stake in CSI.  The company was founded in 1996
and has focused on the development of advanced materials technologies for
application to catalysts.

    The emission control technology uses perovskites and other metal oxides,
allowing for a 50 to 70 percent reduction in the use of precious metals such
as platinum, palladium and rhodium.  To achieve the full benefits of the
system, control of the air/fuel ratio and early catalytic activation are
important, which are key attributes of Honda's advanced low emission
technology.

    Honda has been evaluating the performance benefits of the technology with
CSI since 1999.  The technology will be implemented for the first time on a
new Honda Stepwgn model to be introduced in Japan this April.

    Plans call for the technology to be applied to other Honda models in
markets around the world in the years ahead, including the U.S.  No timetable
has been established for the introduction of the technology on vehicles sold
outside Japan.

    CSI developed the new catalytic coating materials used in the perovskite
three-way catalyst.  These materials include unique crystal structures that
convert and reduce oxides of nitrogen, hydrocarbons and carbon monoxide.  The
two companies worked together to optimize the properties for Honda's
automotive catalysts, with Honda's air/fuel ratio control and early catalytic
activation capabilities playing a key role.

    Honda has long been a leader in low emission technologies, dating back to
1975 when the Civic CVCC became the first car to meet the 1970 Clean Air
emissions requirements without using a catalytic converter.  Over the years,
Honda introduced the first gasoline-powered car to meet the Low Emission
Vehicle standard (1995), the first gasoline-powered car to meet the Ultra Low
Emission Vehicle standard (1997), the first to sell LEV vehicles voluntarily
in all 50 states and the first to sell a gasoline-powered vehicle meeting the
Super Ultra Low Emission Vehicle standard (2000), the most stringent emission
standard in the world.  With the introduction of the 2001 Civic lineup, Honda
also became the first company to distribute ULEV rated vehicles in all
50 states.