Honda Announces Global CO(2) Emissions Reduction Targets, Including 30 Per Cent Reduction for Products

New Global Environmental Slogan Established

TOKYO, June 21, 2011 /CNW/ - Honda Motor Co., Ltd. today issued its 2011 Environmental Annual Report. Striving to realize the Honda environmental vision of the joy and freedom of mobility and a sustainable society where people can enjoy life, Honda has established 2020 CO2 emissions reduction targets to address the most important business management issues of climate change and energy issues. At the same time, Honda introduced a global environmental slogan that draws directly from Honda's environmental heritage - "Blue Skies for Our Children."

Honda has been pursuing its own environmental targets and is committed to proactive environmental conservation activities. In 2006, Honda set a goal to reduce global CO2 emissions from use of its motorcycles, automobiles and power products by 10 per cent by the end of 2010, compared to year 2000 levels. In 2010, this goal was attained by all products.

Honda has now set a target to reduce CO2 emissions from its global products by 30 per cent by the end of 2020, compared to year 2000 levels. Furthermore, in addition to reducing CO2 emissions during production and supply chain, Honda will strengthen its efforts to realize reductions in CO2 emissions through its entire corporate activities. Honda will also strengthen its efforts in advancing technologies in the area of total energy management to reduce CO2 emissions through mobility and people's everyday lives.

In addition, Honda has established a global environmental slogan as an expression of the company's proactive commitment to make progress in its environmental efforts on a global basis. With this slogan, Honda will strive to become the leader in the area of environmental and energy technologies.

The new global environmental slogan and symbol will be used with Honda's internal and external environmental activities and communications around the world.

■HONDA ENVIRONMENTAL VISION: Realizing 'The Joy and Freedom of Mobility' and 'A Sustainable Society where People Can Enjoy Life.'

■GLOBAL ENVIRONMENTAL SLOGAN: Blue Skies for Our Children
Honda engineers who took on the challenge to meet the stringent new emissions standards of the 1970s U.S. Clean Air Act used the phrase "blue skies for our children" as a passionate rallying cry to devote themselves to this effort. Honda wants to pass on the "joy and freedom of mobility to the next generation" (for our children), therefore, we want to realize a sustainable society where people can enjoy life (blue skies). This slogan continues to represent Honda's passion toward its environmental commitment which has not wavered and will remain resolute in the future.

■GLOBAL ENVIRONMENTAL SYMBOL: http://files.newswire.ca/775/HondaEnvironmental.doc
The circular graphic represents the earth and sun with blue skies (clean air), clean water, and lush green land expressing the bounty of nature that is necessary for us to realize a sustainable society where people can enjoy life. The white line through the middle represents a road where freedom of mobility is realized, while the heart represents Honda's thinking and passion toward our environmental commitment.

For more information about Honda's environmental commitment and activities, please visit the Honda website: http://world.honda.com/environment

Source;
http://www.newswire.ca/en/releases/archive/June2011/20/c7862.html

Honda working to address environmental challenges

By Masahiro Takedagawa, For The Calgary Herald

Based on our commitment to innovation and original technology creation, Honda is working to help address the world's environmental challenges, such as global climate change, emissions reduction and energy sustainability.

Honda is taking a comprehensive portfolio approach that involves advanced powertrain and energy technologies for the near and longer terms.

Honda's unique strategy also includes further improvements to gasoline-engine fuel efficiency, including the expanding use of gasoline-electric hybrid technology; the development of viable alternatives to gasoline, including compressed natural gas, non-food-based biofuels, electric vehicles and hydrogen-powered fuel-cell electric cars; and advanced energy production and distribution technologies including solar cells, co-generation systems and more efficient means of producing renewable biofuels.

IMPROVING FUEL EFFICIENCY

Ever since the company was founded, we have focused on meeting the mobility needs of our customers as well as concern for the environment, including leadership in fuel efficiency and emission-reduction technologies.

In the 1960s, Honda reinforced its commitment by establishing its Blue Skies for Our Children philosophy, and has maintained its position as a fuel-efficiency leader.

Honda is committed to further advancements in internal combustion engine efficiency, with a focus on the broad application of technologies such as VTEC and Variable Cylinder Management (VCM), and with the expanded application of pinnacle technologies such as Honda's Integrated Motor Assist (IMA) hybrid system.

-As one of the most affordable hybrids available on the road today, the five-passenger Honda Insight, utilizes an interactive Ecological Drive Assist System to help enhance customers' fuel-efficient driving capabilities.

-Our new two-seat CR-Z sports hybrid expands Honda's line of hybrid vehicles by offering good fuel economy with sporty characteristics.

-Second-generation VCM technology is being used in theAccord V-6 sedan and coupe, Pilot SUV, Accord Crosstour and Odyssey minivan.

-Extensive use of advanced materials that improve fuel economy while allowing engineers to meet other critical targets such as vehicle safety.

REDUCING EMISSIONS

Honda has led all automakers in the introduction of vehicles that meet or exceed increasingly stringent exhaust emissions regulation:

-First gasoline-powered vehicles to meet American LEV, ULEV, SU-LEV, and AT-PZEV certifications.

-For model year 2011, all Honda and Acura vehicles meet or exceed Tier 2 Bin 5 emissions standards on an individual model basis, without the use of fleet averaging.

-Honda has been a leader in the application of overhead valve four-stroke engines to its power sports and power equipment product lines. All 2008 and newer Honda motorcycles, including competition models, and all Honda power equipment lines use OHV four-stroke engine technology.

FUEL-CELL TECHNOLOGY

Honda has paced the industry in the development and deployment of fuel-cell electric vehicle (FCEV) technology as well as the refuelling infrastructure that will be required to take it to the mass market.

-Honda introduced the world's first production fuel-cell vehicle, the Honda FCX, in the U.S. and Japan in October 2002.

-Honda's FCX Clarity, the successor to the FCX, was the world's first purpose-built fuel-cell electric vehicle and the first to be manufactured on a dedicated production line.

-The FCX Clarity, with Honda's compact and efficient V Flow fuel-cell stack, achieves performance on par with a four-cylinder, five-passenger, gasoline-powered sedan but with three times the fuel efficiency.

CLEANER-ENERGY RESEARCH

Honda's efforts have gone beyond developing new vehicle technologies.
Honda has also focused its research and development resources on the creation of new sources of cleaner power.

-Solar cells: Honda-developed photovoltaic solar cells significantly reduce the energy and carbon-dioxide emissions in the manufacturing phase. Honda subsidiary Soltec Ltd. began mass production of Honda solar cells at its new Kumamoto, Japan, factory in October 2008. We will also be using these solar cells at our new Honda headquarters in Markham, Ont.

-Flexible fuel: Honda has developed a flexible-fuel system that enables engines to operate on either 100 per cent ethanol or a wide range of ethanol-gasoline fuel mixtures.

-Biofuel: To address the need for more efficient means of producing bio-ethanol in other areas of the world, Honda R&D and the Research Institute of Innovative Technology for the Earth (RITE) are researching new technology to produce ethanol from soft-biomass, a renewable resource of plant-derived material.

There are numerous environmental challenges, and there are also numerous potential solutions to meet issues. That is why we have adopted a portfolio approach instead of only focusing on one specific technology.

In the near term, however, we believe optimum benefits will come from further advancements to fuel-efficient gasoline engines as well as gas-electric hybrid technology to help reduce our products' greenhouse gas emissions.

Source;

http://www.calgaryherald.com/business/Honda+working+address+environmental+challenges/3566242/story.html

Summary of Honda Announcements Regarding New Advanced Environmental Technologies

Battery-electric and plug-in hybrid vehicles will be introduced in the U.S. in 2012; Demonstration program of the technologies will begin in 2010.
07/20/2010 - TORRANCE, Calif. -
Honda will introduce new advanced environmental technology vehicles, including a battery-electric vehicle and a new plug-in hybrid vehicle, to the U.S. market in 2012, the company announced today in the mid-year address by Honda Motor Co., Ltd., President & CEO Takanobu Ito, in Tokyo, Japan. Ito also announced application of a lithium-ion battery in the next-generation Civic Hybrid in 2011.

The announcement outlined Honda's commitment to developing advanced environmental technologies for application across all of Honda's global operations. Highlights specifically related to the U.S. market include:

-By the end of 2010 and continuing through 2011, Honda will roll out a battery-electric vehicle demonstration program in the U.S. with participants, including: Stanford University, Google Inc. and the City of Torrance, Calif.

-The City of Torrance will receive a plug-in hybrid electric vehicle for evaluation by the end of 2010.

-A battery-electric commuter vehicle will be introduced in the U.S. market in 2012.

-A new plug-in hybrid system for mid-size to larger vehicles will be introduced in the U.S. market in 2012.

-Honda's first hybrid application of a lithium-ion battery will debut in the next- generation Civic Hybrid to be introduced in 2011. The lithium-ion battery was developed through the Honda and GS Yuasa joint-venture company, Blue Energy Co., Ltd.

Source;
http://www.hondanews.com/categories/1097/releases/5527