2010 Honda Hybrid

By: Bill Waters
Published: Jul 29, 2009
Updated: Mar 11, 2010

Articles - New 2010 Honda Hybrid Electric Cars Coming

The 2010 Honda Hybrid lineup started with the Insight that can deliver better fuel economy than gasoline conventional cars. There are a few Honda vehicles that are making the conversion from traditional gas that includes the Fit, Civic, and Camry. Honda is also releasing a hydrogen FCX Clarity model next year that can operate on alternative fuels.

The 2010 Hybrids aren't exactly the typical compact cars you usually see. These cars have more room and comfort than small compact cars. The Honda fuel-efficient vehicles remain in the sub-compact category but future designs could bring larger automobiles including luxury.

2010 Honda Prices

Honda cars are also priced lower than other automakers, but when you start adding options such as the Navigation System, the price begins to increase. Most of the new vehicles that are slated for next year do have seven-passenger seating as an option. The automobiles are somewhat larger but are lighter than previous versions. They are designed to provide better performance, higher fuel economy, and longer electric-only driving ranges.

The batteries that run these vehicles are known as nickel metal hydride (NiMH), but there's a new lighter energy storage package in town called the lithium-ion. It is not known if the automaker plans to convert to these batteries. In fact, Honda and Toyota both claim that lithium-ion batteries aren't yet a viable option.

Plug-in Hybrid Vehicles

Lithium-ion batteries are now used in most plug-in vehicles. The plug-in market is still quite new and the costs for these battery packs are still quite high. However, the price is expected to decline as the demand increases. Not only are the batteries lighter in weight, but some reports indicate they can hold longer charges and extend driving ranges.

Hybrids that run on electric batteries at slower speeds are in high demand. For example, I was in a traffic jam on Tuesday where it was constant stop-and-go. I noticed that the car next to me was a hybrid. The driver was running on electric power in the slow-moving traffic while the car in front of me was noisy and producing large amounts of smoke from its tailpipe. The car was very quiet, and I only want to imagine what traffic jams will be like when the air is cleaner and the only noise you can hear are the tires rolling on the pavement.

Future Cars

Future 2010 Honda cars will definitely be on the road with MPG ratings reaching upwards of 48 to 55. Honda is a serious competitor in this growing market and most analysts believe that the Insight is only the first mass-production models to come. If you are new to these vehicles, I encourage you to take a few minutes and test drive these vehicles as the experience can provide you with a lot of information and further details.

New Fuel Efficient Concept Prototypes

There are some hybrid concept prototypes by Honda that are out of this world. What I mean is, the cars don't seem to be anything like the small compact category. Some of them appear to be larger with luxury features similar to Lexus and Cadillac. These are only concept vehicles, but the idea must be coming from one of their future design departments.

Next week, we are putting together some information on these vehicles and various Honda products. We'll make them available online to demonstrate the road tests and the amount of technology that are developed for these newer cars. Next year will be an incredible time as gas prices once again rise and the 2010 Honda Hybrid vehicles offer more extended mileage powered by electric alternative fuel.