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Honda Marks 25 Years Of Hybrid-Electric Sales With Over 25% Of Sales From Models Like Civic And Accord
Honda is marking 25 years of hybrid-electric sales in the U.S., a journey that began with the Honda Insight. This vehicle was the first mass-produced hybrid-electric car sold in America. Today, hybrids are crucial to Honda's electrification strategy, making up over 25% of its sales. The Civic, Accord, and CR-V models all feature Honda's acclaimed two-motor hybrid system.
The original Honda Insight debuted in December 1999, designed as a hybrid from the start. It remains America's most fuel-efficient non-BEV car, boasting an EPA highway rating of 70 mpg. "Twenty-five years after making history with America's first hybrid-electric vehicle, hybrids now account for more than 25% of Honda auto sales," said Jessika Laudermilk, assistant vice president of Honda Auto Sales.
Honda's current hybrid models are manufactured in the U.S. and Canada. The CR-V hybrid is produced at three plants: Ohio's East Liberty Auto Plant, Indiana Auto Plant, and Canada's Alliston Auto Plant. The Accord hybrid is made at Ohio's Marysville Auto Plant, while the Civic Hatchback and Sedan hybrids are produced in Indiana and Alliston respectively.
The first-generation Insight was built alongside NSX and S2000 sports cars at Japan's Takanezawa Plant. It holds the title of the most fuel-efficient gasoline-powered mass-production car ever sold in America, with city and highway ratings of 61 mpg and 70 mpg respectively. It featured a five-speed manual transmission during its production run from 1999 to 2006.
To achieve its efficiency goals, Honda engineers developed innovative technologies for the Insight. These included an Integrated Motor Assist (IMA) hybrid powertrain and a lightweight aluminum body. The car also had advanced aerodynamics with one of the lowest drag coefficients (0.25) among mass-produced vehicles worldwide.
Honda's experience with aluminum began with the NSX supercar, which was the world's first mass-produced all-aluminum car. This expertise was applied to create a lightweight yet rigid structure for the Insight using stamped aluminum sheets and die-castings.
Electrification Strategy
Honda aims for carbon neutrality by 2050 across all products and activities globally. By 2040, it plans for battery-electric and fuel cell electric vehicles to make up all vehicle sales. Hybrid-electric vehicles are a key step in this strategy, equipping core models with hybrid powertrains.
The CR-V hybrid was America's best-selling hybrid in 2023, while the Accord hybrid led among cars. Over half of Accord and CR-V sales now come from their hybrid trims powered by Honda’s fourth-generation two-motor system.
Future Plans
This year saw cumulative sales of Honda electrified vehicles surpass one million units. The brand launched its first all-electric SUV, the Prologue, and plans to start EV production on a new platform at Ohio’s EV Hub by late 2025.
At CES 2024 in January, Honda unveiled two concept models from its upcoming Honda 0 Series: Saloon and Space-Hub. A production model of Saloon will be built at Ohio’s EV Hub by fall 2026 as part of seven planned models globally by 2030.
Model Year Overview
The timeline for Honda’s hybrid-electric vehicles includes:
- 2000-2006: Insight
- 2003-2005: Civic Hybrid
- 2005-2007: Accord Hybrid
- 2011-2016: CR-Z
- 2014-2017: Accord Hybrid
- 2018-2022: Accord Hybrid
- 2023-current: CR-V Hybrid & Accord Hybrid
- 2025-current: Civic Hybrid
The company has been producing cars in America for over four decades with major facilities across North America. In 2023 alone, more than 99% of Hondas sold in America were made locally using both domestic and global parts.
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