Hoovey689

iTrader: (16)

Honda boss says Chinese drivers don't want green cars

According to The Wall Street Journal, Honda CEO Takanobu Ito believes that China's nascent car-buying demographic isn't all that interested in hybrid cars – at least not yet. The emissions story doesn't resonate with them, and certainly not for the higher purchase premium such models usually carry. What they really want, Ito believes, is reliable, affordable cars that fit their needs. When it comes to Honda sales, the numbers would appear to jibe with his thoughts: Honda sold 598,577 vehicles in China last year through its two joint ventures, yet just 542 of them were hybrids – not even a tenth of a percent. However, Toyota sold 840,500 cars in China last year, and two percent of that total, 17,300 units, were hybrids, which is closer to the still-piddling three-percent ratio of sales that Toyota posted in the US last year.

Honda offers the Insight, Fit Hybrid and CR-Z in China and plans to make components for its Integrated Motor Assist hybrid system there from next year, the hope being it will reduce the cost of hybrid cars for local buyers. That was one part of the plan Honda laid out last year to popularize its IMA system in China. Other initiatives include the introduction of a new hybrid system for mid-sized and large vehicles and a plug-in hybrid. Among the four new vehicles Honda showed during this weekend's press day for the Shanghai Motor Show (including the Concept M minivan pictured above) there was not a single hybrid among them.

http://www.autoblog.com/2013/04/24/h...nt-green-cars/

mmarshall

Interesting, given the deplorable environmental damage being done in that country by massive development without adequate anti-pollution measures. China, like it or not, has become known for its fouled air, water, and toxic waste-dumps. Apparantly, many Chinese drivers are so glad to get into cars at all (and get rid of their age-old bicycles and rickshas) that pollution and gas-mileage means little to them.

A Buick hybrid just might sell, though. Many Chinese drivers, unlike younger buyers in the U.S., revere the Buick nameplate like they did Mao-statues 30 or 40 years ago. The Buick Excelle (Verano in the U.S.) is now the country's top-selling vehicle.

bitkahuna

iTrader: (20)

of course what honda isn't saying is their hybrid system isn't as good as toyota's, so not worth the extra cost or trade-offs vs. the non-hybrid.

govt policy there could 'force' more people into green vehicles, but i hope it doesn't, as that will hurt their economy which WILL hurt the world economy. their economy is already at grave risk right now.

stlgrym3

iTrader: (4)

well, two reasons for that

1. Honda hybrid cars s*cks compare to Toyota

2. 80% of passenger cars in China have motors smaller or equal to 2.5L, so there's no urgent need for fuel efficient cars.

CK6Speed

iTrader: (1)

He does have a valid point. Even most American's could care less about a "Green" car. What they may care about is good MPG's and that doesn't have to only come from Hybrid Cars. Almost everyone who I know could care less about emissions, or what carbon footprint the car is leaving. They want a good car that gets good MPG and that is it. The bottom line for most is the cost from their own wallet.

1sWt2GS

iTrader: (6)

I resonate with what a lot of you said.

Simply put, honda hybrids suck compared to Toyota's ANDD camrys and civics are getting ~30 MPG, thats good enough for most people.

My parents (who are old traditional and Asian) would rather pay the 30 MPG than the maintenance cost of a hybrid

Stormforge

I have no problems with the hybrid components in my GSh. The only costs incurred is following the regular maintenance schedule per Lexus. And there are a lot of Priuses running around that are over 10 yrs old that that have a good track history with little or no problems either.

See attached pdf file from Consumers Report regarding a 9 yr old Prius they tested. Seems like a a pretty solid car to me in terms of reliability.

See link below for a discussion on GSh long term reliability and maintenance awhile back:

https://www.clublexus.com/forums/hyb...intenance.html