Honda to produce gas-electric hybrid cars in China

Honda plans to make gas-electric hybrids more affordable and accessible in China by producing them locally, Seiji Kuraishi, head of Honda’s China operations, said at a ceremony marking the start of construction of a fifth Honda China plant set to open by 2012 in Wuhan, in central China. Kuraishi did not say what hybrid models Honda is preparing to produce in China or when such production might start. Honda already sells a hybrid version of the Honda Civic compact car in China that is imported from Japan. It also announced earlier this year that the company plans to launch two more hybrid models in China in 2012: the Insight car and the CR-Z coupe. (November 6, 2010)