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Japanese Automakers Increase Hybrid Lead

By Joe Benton
ConsumerAffairs.com

September 27, 2006

• Tax Credits On Ford Hybrids Phasing Out • Small Car Market Faces Potentially Large Problems • Ford Plans Car That Parks Itself • Drivers Wanted: Mini Developing Electric Model • GM Invests In Electric Car Engine Plant • GM Increasingly Viewed As "Green" By Online Consumers • Honda Plans New Hybrid for Earth Day 2009 • Hybrid Technology a Presidential Campaign Issue --- • More ...

The three Japanese auto giants all have plans to concentrate on the production of fuel saving vehicles that will increase their lead over U.S. automakers in hybrid and diesel technologies.

Nissan Motor Co. plans to produce and sell its own hybrid vehicle in 2010. Nissan already plans to sell a hybrid version of the Altima sedan under licensing ties with Toyota Motor Corp.

Japan's two biggest automakers signed a deal in 2002 under which Toyota would sell its hybrid system to Nissan.

Toyota plans to increase production of the Prius hybrid in Japan to 300,000 units in 2007. That is an increase of almost 50 percent. Toyota plans to shift production of other models to produce the Prius sedans and use the equipment that is freed up to increase output while limiting additional investment.

Toyota, Japan's top automaker dominates the market for hybrid cars. With gasoline prices rising and concerns growing about climate change, hybrids and particularly the Prius have grown in popularity in North America and to a lesser extent Japan.

Honda Motor Co. says it has developed a next-generation diesel engine that reduces emissions to gasoline engine levels and meets strict new U.S. regulations.

The new Honda diesel would constitute a breakthrough in engine technology reminiscent of Honda's ground breaking 1974 CVCC engine. That was the first gasoline engine to meet U.S. 1970 emissions rules without using a catalytic converter.

Honda's technology uses three stages to turn harmful oxides of nitrogen, or NOx, into harmless nitrogen.

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