Honda UK: Honda Planning Small Diesel Car

More diesel news, but not for us in North America.... Eco-conscious Car Finance buyers will no doubt by happy to hear that HONDA has confirmed the company's plans to launch a car with a smaller diesel engine to place it in a better position to compete with European car manufacturers. David Hodgetts, Managing Director of Honda UK, told Fleet News in an interview that the company plans to introduce the new engine about a year after the launch of the next-generation Civic model. The possibility also exists that it will be available in some Honda Jazz and Honda Accord models. Honda initially started offering cars with diesel engines in 2004 when they launched an Accord powered by a diesel engine. Subsequently, they also introduced a diesel-powered Civic and a CR-V. The original 2.2 litre 140 i-CTDi engine was used in the CR-V up to 2007 when it was replaced with the new i-DTEC engine delivering 150 bhp. The diesel Accord also switched to this engine in 2008. Honda's competitors were, however, able to attract more business because they offered a wider range of diesel engines. The smaller diesels offered by many European manufacturers allowed them to offer cheaper models aimed at the car finance market, while Honda could only compete in the upper end of the market. The new diesel-powered Honda Civic will apparently have CO2 emission figures of less than 110g/km. Given the popularity of upper-medium cars such as the 1.6-litre CITROEN C5, PEUGEOT 508, FORD Mondeo and Volswagen Passat among car finance fleet owners, it is highly likely that Honda will eventually also bring out an Accord fitted with the new engine. Source; http://www.creditplus.co.uk/used-car-and-finance-news/HONDA/Honda-Planning-Small-Diesel-Car/998699564/

Honda, Toyota plan to develop diesel engines

No, they are not developing this for our market in North America, but for India, however once the technology is developed, it can be used in other markets....

MUMBAI: Japanese carmakers Honda and Toyota plan to develop diesel engines for their passenger cars even as rivals like Maruti Suzuki and Hyundai spend more on building and marketing diesel cars to keep pace with demand.

Honda, which has only petrol-powered vehicles in its portfolio in the country, is developing a small diesel engine for the Indian market, while Toyota will soon roll out a diesel version of Corolla Altis, making it its first diesel-driven passenger car in India.

“We feel the need to develop a diesel engine,” said Jnaneswar Sen, vice president (marketing), Honda Siel. He pointed out that more than half the vehicles sold in Europe are diesel. The company is yet to decide the timeline for the launch and which cars it will power, an official said.

Toyota, which sells only diesel versions of its utility vehicles and SUVs such as Innova and Fortuner in the country, has 90% of sales coming from diesel vehicles.

“While diesel is cleaner advanced technology, gasoline will also be important for us,” said Sandeep Singh, deputy MD (sales and marketing) of Toyota Kirloskar Motors.

Other carmakers such as Maruti Suzuki, Hyundai Motor, Tata Motors, General Motors and Ford too have stepped up production of diesel cars to cash in on increasing demand for diesel-powered cars that are more fuel efficient and environment friendly than petrol-driven cars.

Maruti Suzuki, which sells 60% of its popular Swift, Dzire and Ritz cars in diesel versions, plans to roll out smaller diesel cars, using Fiat’s 700cc engine. Maruti, which sources diesel engines from Italian carmaker Fiat, also plans to get 1.6 litre and 2 litre engines.

“While we will develop diesel engines, Maruti’s strength will continue to be gasoline as we make fuel efficient petrol engines,” said IV Rao, managing executive officer (engineering) of Maruti Suzuki.

With Suzuki’s global tieup with Volkswagen, Maruti may source diesel engines from the German carmaker in the coming years.

Its main rival Hyundai Motor is considering making diesel engines. “Currently we import are diesel engines. To have them in small cars it has to be cost effective,” said Arvind Saxena, director, marketing and sales, Hyundai Motor India. Currently Hyundai’s i20, Getz, Verna and Sonata have diesel options.

The Indian car market, which grew 25% to 1.9 million vehicles last year, is dominated by petrol models. Three out of every four cars that the country’s largest carmaker Maruti Suzuki sells is petrol-driven.

But the proportion of diesel sales has been going up steadily from 15% in 2006 to 25% in 2009, thanks to superior technology and fuel efficiency that modern diesel engines offer.

Traditionally, high maintenance and premium pricing kept customers away from diesel models. This is no longer the case.

Many customers prefer diesel versions because of better fuel efficiency that makes up for the premium they pay, say analysts.

“What matters to the customer is the running cost and therefore the preference for a diesel model,” said a Mumbai-based analyst.

“Since majority of consumers go for car financing, the difference in monthly installment is marginal,” he added.

Kapil Arora, partner, automotive, at Ernst and Young, said he believed that there would be more diesel car sales in the next 4-5 years if diesel subsidies continue and if the manufacturers can mass supply diesel vehicles.

Source;
http://economictimes.indiatimes.com/News/News-By-Industry/Auto/Automobiles/Honda-Toyota-plan-to-develop-diesel-engines/articleshow/5942343.cms?curpg=1

Honda studying development of a small diesel engine for Europe and India

Maybe one day, we'll get a Diesel engine in North America too....
Honda is currently studying how to develop a small diesel engine for Europe and India. Tomohiko Kawanabe, Honda’s chief operating officer of automobile r&d, said that having a small diesel engine is crucial if any carmaker wants to compete in markets like India and Europe.

Presently, Honda only has a 2.2-liter diesel engine fitted on the Accord and other models in Europe. The increasing interest in diesels is understandable. Since about half of the cars sold in Europe and India (an emerging market) are diesel, Honda would be smart to exploit this fact.

Source;
http://www.4wheelsnews.com/honda-studying-development-of-a-small-diesel-engine-for-europe-and-india/#more-6760

Insight 1G: first-gen Honda Insight with diesel upgrade gets 80 mpg

Ever heard of the Insight 1G? Sounds like the name of a first generation of the high-efficiency hybrid, right? It is, but the twist here is that the 1.0-liter, 70 hp gasoline engine has been swapped out in favor of a oil-burning 1.2L PD TDI from Volkswagen, specifically the Lupo 3L. How does the diesel swap make the car run? Excellent, says the Red Light Racing team's website. In fact, they claim they're getting 80 mpg without the hybrid portion of the powertrain in operation (It appears the team is using a manual Insight, which was rated at 53 mpg combined, by the EPA). They expect a further fuel economy boost of around 15 to 20 percent once the bugs in the engine signal translator are worked out.

Speaking of bugs, the conversion hasn't exactly been easy, and the team has set up a list of technical difficulties (and solutions) here. Jake Staub, the team's lead engineer, told AutoblogGreen that, "The main idea was to take existing hardware, hack it, and make a vehicle that could be produced by major manufacturers or individuals that would deliver tremendous fuel economy without a tremendous leap in technology. I believe we succeeded." Do you agree?

Source;
http://green.autoblog.com/2009/09/05/insight-1g-first-gen-honda-insight-with-diesel-upgrade-gets-80/

Honda Diesel Ad (Hate Something, Change Something...)

Now this is a cool commercial! Catchy tune as well.

Honda - Grrr
Uploaded by YforYerom -

Honda CR-V 2.2 i-CDTi EX - Short Take Road Test

Ah! Stop the madness! Bring this car to North America!

For all you Manual Transmission die-hards, look at the lower middle console....
A diesel CR-V proves to be one stingy little trucker.
BY JARED GALL July 2009

When you’re talking trucks, diesel power trumps all. With their mountainous torque, diesels put up huge numbers for towing, and the engines also deliver (relatively) small fuel-consumption figures and—in a more recent development—low emissions. But what about compact trucks? Is a diesel the same feel-good pill in a unibody, car-based trucklet?

Hey, Don’t I Know You?
To find out, we called up the diesel wizards at Bosch and borrowed a German-market Honda CR-V oil-burner from their fleet. This is the same 2.2-liter four-cylinder turbo-diesel we tested in a Euro-market Honda Accord in August of 2008, with 138 hp and 251 lb-ft of torque. That’s 28 fewer hp but 90 more lb-ft than the gas CR-V we get here, twisting through a six-speed manual in our tester.

While the Accord seemed compromised by the diesel and its relative lack of zest, the engine is a more natural fit in the CR-V; few people expect rocket power in their small SUVs. Indeed, although the diesel CR-V’s 9.4-second 0-to-60 huff would have placed it second to last in our most recent compact-SUV comparo, it is within one second of all but the two fastest competitors and only 0.3 second behind both the test average and the gas-powered CR-V. And, once its turbo spun up, the diesel CR-V’s 17.0-second quarter-mile run at 80 mph would have landed it firmly mid-pack, 0.1 second ahead of its gas sibling, which also happens to weigh over 200 pounds less than the oil-burner. Our observed fuel economy of 28 mpg, on the other hand, exceeds the comparo average by 47 percent. For comparison, our highest recorded average for a gas-fueled CR-V is 22 mpg.

Honda-High Redline—for a Diesel
This small diesel is at its most impressive at high rpm, where it pulls hard even past the indicated 4500-rpm redline, all the way to the 5000-rpm fuel cutoff without a hint of the high-rpm drop in power historically associated with diesels and still exhibited by many modern oil burners. The turbo is slow to spool up, though, taking what feels like two full seconds or more to wind up to full power. Thankfully, the six-speed manual wouldn’t feel too out of place in a Honda S2000, and its slick action facilitates quick shifts that keep the turbo on boil. Once the boost spools up, back-road passes are quick, and the torquey four doesn’t seem to care much what gear it’s in.

Specifications
VEHICLE TYPE: front-engine, four-wheel-drive, 5-passenger, 5-door wagon
ESTIMATED PRICE AS TESTED: $33,000 (Germany)
ESTIMATED BASE PRICE: $24,000 (Germany)
ENGINE TYPE: turbocharged and intercooled DOHC 16-valve diesel inline-4, aluminum block and head, direct fuel injection
Displacement: 134 cu in, 2204ccPower (SAE net): 138 bhp @ 4000 rpmTorque (SAE net): 251 lb-ft @ 2000 rpm
TRANSMISSION:6-speed manual
DIMENSIONS:Wheelbase: 103.1 in Length: 177.9 in Width: 71.6 in Height: 66.1 in Curb weight: 3724 lb

C/D TEST RESULTS:
Zero to 60 mph: 9.4 sec
Zero to 100 mph: 33.3 sec
Street start,
5–60 mph: 10.5 sec
Standing ¼-mile: 17.0 sec @ 80 mph
Braking,
70–0 mph: 177 ft Roadholding, 300-ft-dia skidpad: 0.78 g

FUEL ECONOMY: C/D observed: 28 mpg (US mpg)
But the amount of noise produced by this engine makes it feel relatively unrefined, and it’s way louder inside at idle than a gas-fired CR-V (51 dB versus 39 dB). A VW Jetta TDI’s diesel engine is similar in size and output but quiet enough to mask its sparkless roots. The CR-V, on the other hand, clatters so much that drivers might think they’re sitting seven feet off the ground and have a sleeper berth behind them. Personally, we like the small diesel clatter, because we like to know we’re driving something a little different, but we see how some might find it off-putting. As for the usual towing benefit of a diesel, the oil-burning CR-V is rated in Europe to handle 4400 pounds, an additional 1100 compared to the equivalent gas-powered version.

No Plans to Bring it Stateside
A price increase of between six and seven percent (depending on country) in Europe translates to about an extra $1500 in the U.S., a difference that would take about 50,000 miles to make up at current fuel prices. But that’s a palatable premium to us; we find the torque rush addicting. Besides, there’s nothing wrong with getting better mileage (as long as you don’t hypermile to do it; that stuff is just wrong).

However, given the current volatile fuel market, that 50,000 miles could become 75,000 or 80,000 tomorrow. Besides, the various ways gasoline and diesel vehicles are taxed throughout Europe means that the pricing difference could be much greater in the U.S., and although the vehicle seen here meets current European emissions regulations, it does not meet the U.S.’s stricter set of rules. Cleaning it up even more would further compound any price difference. Not that it matters, as there is no diesel CR-V headed across the pond any time soon, and Honda’s plans to bring any diesels to the U.S. are currently on hold while the company expands its hybrid lineup.

Source;
http://www.caranddriver.com/reviews/car/09q3/honda_cr-v_2.2_i-cdti_ex-short_take_road_test

Honda will focus on its engines, says its new president!

Although the Japanese carmaker Honda has a lot of green products under its belt due to its hybrid and alternative fuel programs, it was recently reported that their new president, Takanobu Ito, has made a statement saying that they will not totally abandon the internal combustion system.

In contrast to previous presidents who were all, without exception, engine men, the next president is a chassis engineer. So, although Honda is chasing fuel cell and hybrid technologies, Ito said that they cannot improve the hybrid system without working on engines. He believes that engines still have a long way to go. There is a ring of truth to what Ito has said, since there is still a lot of work to be done in improving the switch between gasoline and electric power.

Although this is more of a transmission and driveline issue, still the engine plays a vital part in all of these. The current hybrid system requires a sensitive balance between the gasoline engine and the electric power unit, batteries, power splitter and the remainder of the car. This is the reason why you cannot just purchase a hybrid system and install it in the car, the engine must still be refined.

Late in coming to Honda are diesel engines which are popular in Europe where the Japanese carmaker utilized Isuzu diesels for its Civic and Accord ranges. Honda has developed its own diesel powerplant and scheduled it for release this year, but the program was shelved due to insurmountable costs. For their larger models, like the Accord, CR-V and MDX, Honda initially intended to use clean-diesel powerplants. The diesel engine will act as a substitute for single-motor hybrid systems, although it is reported that Honda is also working on a two-motor system that can power both hybrid and large models.

Source;
http://www.4wheelsnews.com/honda-will-focus-on-its-engines-says-its-new-president/

Honda changes course and switches from diesel back to hybrid

A few years back after getting the hybrid ball rolling with the original Insight and then Civic, Honda added a hybrid version of the Accord. Like the Insight, it was not a strong seller and, after a few years, it was discontinued and Honda decided to switch its focus for larger vehicles to clean diesel. The plan was to keep hybrids in smaller cars and while using oil burners in larger cars, SUVs and vans. Honda had planned to start its U.S. diesel push with a 2.2-liter four in the TSX this year. However, after diesel prices spiked last year and the overall market collapsed in the fall, that program was canceled.

Honda CEO Takeo Fukui has now revealed that plans for larger diesel engines have also been canceled as a result of the cost of trying to meet new U.S. and Japanese emissions regulations. Honda had hoped that its in-house developed NOx catalytic convertor would allow it to avoid using urea injection. Instead, Fukui said the company will develop a hybrid system suitable for larger vehicles. No timetable has been revealed for introduction. Fukui also said that Honda would not drop the price of the Insight in response to Toyota's price cuts on the Prius in Japan.

Source;
http://www.autobloggreen.com/2009/04/03/honda-changes-course-and-switches-from-diesel-back-to-hybrid/