What will a new battery mean for the Honda Civic Hybrid?

No more IMA lights?

Despite its more mild hybrid tendencies I’ve mostly been a fan of Honda’s hybrid cars. However, a number of battery-related problems in recent years have made me question Honda’s commitment to hybrids.

But, now that lithium will replace the sometimes shoddy NiMH battery packs in the upcoming 2012 Civic hybrid, it might be time to forgive and forget.

OK. For those now suffering or having suffered through Honda’s hybrid problems, there might never be forgiveness. Honda’s handling of some of the problems facing early Honda hybrid supporters has been appalling. Period.

Thinking forward, however, Honda is an important automaker and their hybrid vehicles have great meaning in the fuel economy debate. Consequently, some 2012 Honda Civic hybrid spyshots on InsideLine set up an obvious question: How much more fuel efficient will the new lithium-powered Civic hybrid be?

The spyshots show the new Civic hybrid being tested along with the Toyota Prius and the Honda Insight. Thus, its impossible not to wonder how close the new Civic hybrid will come to matching the fuel economy numbers of the Prius.

Without a larger battery pack, catching up to the Prius seems impossible. However, adding a larger battery pack, especially one made of lithium, also increases costs. Of course, no automaker made the kind of NiMH investment that did Toyota. So, maybe the cost difference between lithium and NiMH isn’t as extreme for Honda.

Anyway, greatly looking forward to the final Civic hybrid fuel economy numbers.

Source;
http://www.favstocks.com/what-will-a-new-battery-mean-for-the-honda-civic-hybrid/1831444/

Honda Uses Toshiba Lithium-Ion Batteries in Test Version of Electric Car

In China first....
Honda Motor Company is using lithium-ion batteries made by Toshiba Corp. in a test version of its electric car, expanding upon a supply agreement for electric scooters.

Honda’s joint venture with Kyoto-based GS Yuasa Corp. will supply lithium-ion batteries for its hybrid cars, including a plug-in vehicle, while Toshiba’s packs may be more suitable for all-electric cars, which require more power, Tomohiko Kawanabe, head of Honda’s research and development division, told reporters today in Saitama prefecture, north of Tokyo.

Japan’s second-largest carmaker unveiled the test versions of its electric car and plug-in hybrid today, joining Toyota Motor Corp. and Nissan Motor Co. in efforts to meet tighter government emissions rules. Honda has supply agreements with four battery makers, including Panasonic Corp. and its subsidiary Sanyo Electric Co., which make nickel-metal hydride packs for Honda’s current hybrid cars.

Honda’s electric car can go more than 160 kilometers (100 miles) on a single charge, farther than Nissan’s Leaf electric car, Tokyo-based Honda said today. The plug-in hybrid can run 25 kilometers on battery power before the gasoline engine kicks in, about the same as Toyota’s plug-in. The figures are based on Japanese highway testing methods.

Honda rose 1.6 percent to 3,285 yen as of 2:29 p.m. in Tokyo trading, extending its gain this year to 5.6 percent.

Nissan’s Leaf

The carmaker hasn’t decided whether it will use Toshiba’s batteries for mass production, Kawanabe said. Toshiba already makes lithium-ion batteries for Honda’s EV-neo electric scooter, which it started leasing to corporate customers this month.

The company is also seeking to sell batteries made by Blue Energy Co., the venture with GS Yuasa, to other carmakers to help lower costs, he said.

Nissan, Japan’s third-largest automaker, starts selling its lithium-ion battery-powered Leaf hatchback this month in Japan and the U.S. and will begin selling it in Europe next year. Chief Executive Officer Carlos Ghosn has estimated that electric cars may account for 10 percent of global auto sales by 2020.

Toyota plans to sell a short-distance pure electric car and a plug-in hybrid by 2012.

2012 Honda Civic hybrid switching to lithium

But can it really top the Prius in the city?

At one time Honda and hybrid cars fit well into the same sentence. Not these days. Whether its Civic hybrid owners fuming over IMA issues, automotive critics slamming Insight hybrid execution, or the purpose of a two-seat hybrid sports car that barely feels sporty at all, Honda hybrids aren’t really hot.

But Honda hopes to change that with the lithium-powered 2012 Civic hybrid.

Unfortunately, it’s hard to believe that Honda has found a cure to its hybrid woes.

Sure, the new Civic Hybrid upgrades its 1.3 liter engine to 1.5 liters while mating it to a new lithium-ion battery pack that is said to improve EV range from nothing to at least a little. Still, lithium is found in other hybrid powertrains – both full and mild – and simply coupling a lithium-ion battery pack with Honda’s IMA does not seem enough to challenge Prius fuel economy, particularly city fuel economy.

Of course, maybe Honda isn’t just switching to lithium, but also increasing the capacity of its battery pack. More important, maybe Honda has figured out how to somehow morph the IMA powertrain into a full hybrid powertrain.

At this time the details are still sketchy, and hopefully we learn a bit more at tomorrow’s LA Auto Show. Nevertheless, we’ve heard of Honda’s Prius-conquering plans in the past, and they’ve always fallen short. Ultimately, if this is just lithium instead of NiMH, Toyota has little to fear from the new Civic hybrid.

Source;
http://www.favstocks.com/2012-honda-civic-hybrid-switching-to-lithium/1628130/

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

Honda Plans Lithium-Ion Civic to Narrow Toyota’s Lead

March 18 (Bloomberg) -- Honda Motor Co., Japan’s second- largest carmaker, plans to introduce lithium-ion battery-powered hybrid cars as it struggles to narrow Toyota Motor Corp.’s lead in sales of gasoline-electric cars.

Honda plans to use lithium-ion batteries in its Civic compact “within the next two to three years,” as well as in its Acura luxury cars and other models, Executive Vice President Koichi Kondo said in an interview.

Honda has failed to match Toyota’s success with hybrids, led by the top-selling Prius. Lithium-ion batteries can store as much as twice the energy of nickel-metal hydride batteries that currently power the Prius and Honda’s Civic, Insight and CR-Z hybrid models, said Takeshi Miyao, a supply-chain analyst for auto consultant Carnorama in Tokyo.

“Lithium will become a lot more prevalent,” Kondo said in a March 16 interview at the company’s headquarters in Tokyo. The lithium-ion batteries will be produced with Honda’s joint- venture partner, Kyoto-based GS Yuasa Corp., starting in the second half of this year, he said. The venture is 49 percent owned by Honda.

Honda fell 1.5 percent to close at 3,200 yen in Tokyo trading.

“With lithium-ion being used in upcoming electric cars, Honda may be switching to the new technology to compete,” said Mitsuru Kurokawa, an analyst at consulting company IHS Global Insight in Tokyo.

Insight Misses
Honda’s Insight hybrid fell short of the company’s global sales target of 200,000 units in the first year after its February 2009 debut. Deliveries totaled 143,015 as of last month.

Toyota’s third-generation Prius replaced the Insight as the best-selling car in Japan after its release last year. Toyota sold 27,008 Priuses in February, compared with Honda’s 3,517 Insight deliveries.

In the U.S., Toyota sold 7,968 Prius cars last month, compared with Honda’s 2,014 Insights. The hybrid version of the Civic sold 346 units. The larger Prius is more fuel-efficient than Honda’s hybrids, according to U.S. Environmental Protection Agency data.

Honda Chief Executive Officer Takanobu Ito said in July the carmaker is developing a new hybrid system to be installed in mid- to large-size vehicles. The company will also add a hybrid version of its Fit subcompact later this year.

Cost Savings
While similarly sized lithium-ion batteries may cost 30 percent more than nickel-metal hydride cells, carmakers may be able to find savings by using smaller packs because of their higher energy density, Miyao at Carnorama said.

Lithium-ion costs will also decline as technical advances are made and production increases, according to research company Fuji Keizai Group.

Nissan Motor Co. will roll out its first lithium-ion battery-powered car, the Leaf, this year in Japan, the U.S. and Europe. Chief Executive Officer Carlos Ghosn predicts electric vehicles will account for 10 percent of global car sales by 2020.

Fuji Heavy Industries Ltd.’s Subaru unit and Mitsubishi Motors Corp. introduced electric vehicles last year. Mitsubishi will start delivering its 4.6 million yen ($51,000) i-MiEV to retail customers next month.

Toyota plans to begin retail sales of a lithium-ion powered plug-in Prius in two years. The company will also start selling a short-distance all-electric car in 2012.

Separately, Honda’s Kondo said he expects overall vehicle demand in the U.S. to rise to between 11 million and 12 million units this year from 10.4 million in 2009. That’s still lower than the 13.2 million sold in 2008.

Honda’s U.S. sales in the first 10 days of March were up almost 20 percent from a year earlier, Kondo said. For the full month, sales will likely exceed the 13 percent growth posted in February, he said.

Source;
http://www.businessweek.com/news/2010-03-18/honda-plans-lithium-ion-civic-to-narrow-toyota-s-lead-update1-.html

Honda Plans Hybrid Push

DETROIT – Fueled by the new Insight and at least two more models in the pipeline, Honda Motor Co. Ltd. hopes to boost annual hybrid sales to 500,000 units in 2015.


In 2008, the auto maker sold 57,000 units, mostly Civic Hybrids, with several hundred Accord Hybrid.




If Honda achieves its target, hybrids will account for an estimated 10% of its global sales, says Yasunari Seki, the Insight’s chief engineer.


Seiki reiterates in an interview the auto maker plans to introduce a hybrid sports car in 2010. Then, probably in 2013 – although he would not confirm a launch date, Honda will follow with a hybrid version of the Fit, which may or may not be sold in North America.


The sports car will be based on the CR-Z concept unveiled at the 2007 Tokyo Motor Show. Seki notes the production model will be equipped with the same motor and battery as the Insight but boast a more powerful engine, most likely displacing 1.5L. The Insight has a 1.3L engine. The CR-Z powerplant will not be turbocharged, he says.


Seki indicates the Fit Hybrid will employ the same single-motor system as the Insight, although most likely an improved version.


In developing the current model, Honda reduced hybrid system size and cost 30% and 40%, respectively, from that of the Civic Hybrid. The auto maker’s 5-year development target is for a further 25% size and cost reduction.


Including the Insight’s 101-volt nickel-metal-hydride battery pack, the Insight’s integrated motor assist (IMA) hybrid system weighs 128 lbs. (58 kg), 20% less than the Civic Hybrid system at 158 lbs. (72 kg).


Seki doesn’t confirm the cost of the Insight’s hybrid system, but does concede it is in the range of ¥100,000-¥150,000 ($1,000-$1,500).




The chief engineer notes the Insight’s model life will be five years and that Honda will have five hybrids in its lineup by 2015, meaning the Insight is likely to undergo another model change in 2014.


Meanwhile, he says no decision has been reached regarding Honda’s plans to switch to a lithium-ion battery pack from NiMH. But by making that move, he says, the auto maker would be able to cut battery size and weight in half, as Li-ion has twice the energy density of NiMH.


Bringing down battery costs is another matter, according to Seki, and will depend in part on increasing production volume.


On April 1, Honda entered into a joint venture with a subsidiary of GS Yuasa Corp. to develop and manufacture Li-ion batteries for hybrid vehicles. GS Yuasa says production startup is scheduled for 2013.


The battery will be based on GS Yuasa’s EH6 unit rated at 6 ampere-hours with energy density of 67 watt-hours per kg.


Separately, Tomohiko Kawanabe, a senior managing director at Honda R&D Co. Ltd., notes engineering targets for Li-ion batteries are between $500 and $800 per kWh, down from current $1,000-$2,000 levels. “I think $50 is necessary, but it is difficult to say when that can be achieved,” he says.


Seki also confirms Honda is developing a 2-motor hybrid system – although not necessarily the same concept as used by Toyota Motor Corp.’s Prius. However, the auto maker has no immediate plans to introduce such a model.


Nevertheless, the chief engineer believes 2-motor systems hold potential for larger vehicles, such as the Ridgeline pickup or Odyssey minivan. “We think the technology is good for fuel economy,” he says.


But a 2-motor setup is less viable for smaller cars, such as the Fit, Insight or Civic, due to packaging constraints, Seki contends. The Prius battery and motor-generator are 2.5 times larger than that of the Insight, he notes.


Concerning mild hybrid stop-start systems, Seki hints Honda is considering such technology for its minivehicle lineup – currently comprising such 0.66L models as the Life, Acty, Vamos and Zest. He gives no timeframe for such a debut, however.


Honda does not include stop-start systems in its hybrid sales forecasts.


Seki is confident Honda will meet the Insight’s 2010 sales goal of 200,000 units, although last December Honda CEO Takeo Fukui cast doubt on whether the target would be reached. And while Seki predicts North America will be the Civic Hybrid’s main market, he believes the Insight will make inroads into Europe, where Honda is projecting 2010 sales of more than 30,000 units.


In addition to Europe, Honda hopes to sell 100,000 Insights in North America (including 90,000 in the U.S.) and 60,000 in Japan.




Turning to the Insight’s suppliers, Seki confirms Sanyo Electric Co. Ltd. is producing the model’s battery pack. The unit, which like the Civic Hybrid’s 53-lb. (24-kg) pack employs 12 cylindrical cells per 14.4-volt module, weighs only 33 lbs. (15 kg), or 38% less.


The weight savings was achieved by using fewer modules – seven, compared with 11 for the Civic Hybrid. Power also was reduced as a result, from 158 volts to 101 volts.


In a technical paper presented at the SAE World Congress in April, Honda engineers say weight and volume of the power control unit was reduced 31% and 10%, respectively, by integrating the inverter, DC-DC converter and electronic control unit into a single package.


Specifically, the Insight’s inverter is 36% lighter and 35% smaller than the Civic Hybrid unit. The DC-DC converter is 46% lighter, largely the result of making the heat sink smaller, while the auto maker trimmed motor weight 15% by downsizing the stator and rotor yoke.


Other suppliers include Keihin Corp. (battery ECU, engine and transmission ECU and motor power drive unit), TDK Corp. (DC/DC converter) and Mitsubishi Electric Corp. (motor inverter).
Honda produces the Insight’s Multimatic S-CVT continuously variable transmission at its Hamamatsu, Japan, plant.


The auto maker assembles the hybrid’s 1.3L gasoline engine, motor and intelligent power unit on sublines in its Suzuka, Japan, facility.


A new motor line, which began operation in November, has capacity for 180,000 units, raising total motor production capacity on the plant’s two lines to 250,000.


Seki notes the auto maker has tripled motor production speed by improving winding operations and other processes.


Honda also manufactures the Insight’s regenerative braking system in-house, although sources say the car’s main braking system is from Continental AG.


The auto maker estimates 36% of Insight components are carried over from the Fit, Civic Hybrid and other models.



Source;

http://wardsauto.com/ar/honda_hybrid_push_090601/

Honda looks to expand hybrid market through venture with GS Yuasa

FUKUCHIYAMA, Apr 21, 2009 (Kyodo News International - McClatchy-Tribune Information Services via COMTEX) -- YUSBF Quote Chart News PowerRating -- Honda Motor Co. and GS Yuasa Corp. on Tuesday marked the start of construction of their joint venture plant in Kyoto Prefecture to produce lithium ion batteries for hybrid cars, which many see as the key to enabling them to ride out the deep slump in the global auto industry.

Honda President Takeo Fukui indicated that the automaker plans to install the next-generation batteries that will be produced by the joint venture firm, Blue Energy Co., in its Civic or Fit hybrid model anticipated after 2010.

"We're going to take on the challenge of producing lithium ion batteries that will exceed nickel metal hydride batteries in performance and cost potential," Fukui said. "In order to strengthen our lineup, it's important to achieve further progress in hybrid technology." Fukui spoke to reporters following a groundbreaking ceremony in Fukuchiyama, where the plant will be built to make lithium ion batteries for gasoline-electric hybrids, a core component many experts believe will dominate the market for fuel-efficient cars.

Blue Energy plans to begin operations by autumn 2010 and is expected to have a battery production capacity that will be enough to make about 200,000 to 300,000 hybrids per year. The firm is capitalized at 15 billion yen and is owned 51 percent by GS Yuasa and 49 percent by Honda.

"The most attractive point for us is that we will be able to build next-generation eco-cars with the world's best automaker," GS Yuasa President Makoto Yoda said at a joint press conference with Honda's Fukui.

Despite being a front-runner in hybrid technology, Honda has been the last among Japan's top three automakers to find a specific partner to build its own lithium ion batteries.

The batteries are more compact, lightweight and powerful than nickel metal hydride batteries, which are mostly used in current hybrid models including Toyota Motor Corp.'s Prius and Honda's Insight.

Toyota formed a separate battery venture with Matsushita Electric Industrial Co., now Panasonic Corp., in 1996 while Nissan Motor Co. partnered with NEC Corp. in 2007.
Toyota plans to market a lithium ion battery-powered plug-in hybrid by the end of 2009, while Nissan has said it will launch an electric vehicle and a lithium ion-powered hybrid in 2010.
Meanwhile, Honda's current mega-hit Insight hybrid hatchback is powered by nickel metal hydride batteries developed by Sanyo Electric Co., a partnership many analysts believe will come under strain following its planned merger with Panasonic.

But Fukui expressed confidence that Honda's annual production level of all of its hybrid models will soon reach 400,000-500,000 units even as overall demand for vehicles sink under the weight of the global economic recession.

He added that Honda has received orders for more than 25,000 units of the Insight hybrid in just two months since its debut in early February, winning fans with its low retail price of 1.89 million yen.

Fukui said Honda's CR-Z sports car hybrid to be launched next year will not be powered with lithium ion batteries, but suggested the automaker may be ready to install the batteries in the hybrid version of the Fit compact or the second-generation Civic hybrid that will be launched at an undetermined date after 2010.

GS Yuasa, a Kyoto-based battery maker, also has a separate joint venture with Mitsubishi Motors Corp. and Mitsubishi Corp. to develop lithium ion batteries, which will be used to power Mitsubishi's zero-emission electric vehicle to be launched in the summer.

Source;
http://www.tradingmarkets.com/.site/news/Stock%20News/2282149/