[copious.abundance]

They've started production!

>>> LINK <<<
$this->bbcode_second_pass_quote('', '5')/13/2009 5:25:44 PM
Greensburg Plant Starts Producing Natural Gas-Powered Car
Inside INdiana Business.com Report

GREENSBURG, Ind. (May 13, 2009) – Honda Manufacturing of Indiana, LLC (HMIN) today began production of the environmentally responsible, natural gas-powered Civic GX, at its plant in Greensburg, Indiana. HMIN associate Alonzo Miles of Indianapolis drove the first Civic GX off the line in a special ceremony at the plant.

[...]

It is the only natural gas powered passenger car available for sale in all 50 states, and is eligible for a $4,000 federal tax credit as a qualified alternative fuel vehicle.

It is powered by a 113-hp, 1.8-Liter, 16-valve, SOHC i-VTEC® 4-cylinder engine built at Honda’s engine plant in Anna, Ohio, and it is designed with a higher compression ratio to maximize performance from natural gas fuel. The Civic GX was formerly produced at Honda’s East Liberty, Ohio plant and has ten years of proven performance as a natural gas powered vehicle. It has an average range of more than 220 miles, and has outstanding fuel economy at 24 MPG (city) and 36 MPG (highway).

[...]

[mos6507]

Does gallon have any meaning with natural gas?

[Tanada]

$this->bbcode_second_pass_quote('mos6507', 'D')oes gallon have any meaning with natural gas?

[yesplease]

They should do it in GGe, about 37kWh.

[Schmuto]

What's the deal here? The Fit costs 7 grand less and gets high 30s.

Very disappointed that Honda couldn't get 10 more MPG and make this thing cost 3-5 grand less. Hybrid technology is a scam.

[heroineworshipper]

$20,000 is only $10,000 last week.

[kublikhan]

The deal is you are spouting off wrong info. The Honda Fit is 29 mpg combined(manual). That's high 20's not high 30's. And its 5 grand less, not 7. If you don't like it, don't buy it. But at least try and get your numbers right before crying scam.
Honda Fit

[The_Toecutter]

A hybrid powerplant compared to a conventional 100% ICE one, with comparable horsepower for each, assuming similar weight, aerodynamics, transmission efficiency, and accessory loads for the vehicle, will only add about 25% to the fuel economy of the vehicle.

Honda could have just as well shoved a 250 hp turbocharged 4-cylinder into the new Insight, and got roughly the same fuel economy as the Fit. The new Insight has a Cd of 0.28 and weighs around 2,700 lbs; THAT is what is responsbile for most of its gas mileage improvement over other midsize cars(compared to Cd ~0.32 and ~3,500 lbs weight). The hybrid powerplant is really a waste of the prospectiove consumer's money, IMO, unless the company is going to try to maximize the car's efficiency from the ground up. If they are going to throw an expensive hybrid powerplant into a car(entailing a premium of between $2,000-4,000 over a conventional car), they might as well aim for a drag coefficient of under 0.20(requiring no more than $10 million additional in wind tunnel testing and a willingness to design the car around a low drag coefficient as opposed to appeasing some accountants).

The new Insight has a drag coefficient roughly the same as the 1921 Rumpler Tropfenwagen, and the 1935 Tatra T77a luxury car has a drag coefficient that is more than 1/3 less than this new Insight. Most new cars only look like they are aerodynamic, having all the styling cues an aerodynamically efficient car would have, but without actually addressing the subtle changes in airflow over the car's body that generate turbulence. Most new cars have similar drag to the musclecars of the 1960s and 1970s, including this Honda, wherin consumers often complain that today's cars look too similar, with talking heads inside the auto industry blaming aerodynamics. The Dodge Charger Daytona/Plymouth superbird had a Cd of 0.29, about the same as this new Honda Insight, but with a lot more sex appeal than the Honda could ever hope for.

It seems as if the consumer is being punished for daring to demand efficiency.

[perdition79]

People still buy new cars? I call BS on that.

I'll stick to stripping 1999 dodge neons down to 1,800 lbs and cramming 2.7 liter minivan engines under the hood. 41 mpg with a 165 horsepower V-6. 200 horsepower if you grab a sebring engine. (Just ignore the torque steer.) Screw with both the pious prius punk at the organic foods market and the arrogant corvette guy down the street for less than two grand.

[VMarcHart]

$this->bbcode_second_pass_quote('kublikhan', 'T')he deal is you are spouting off wrong info. The Honda Fit is 29 mpg combined(manual). That's high 20's not high 30's. And its 5 grand less, not 7. If you don't like it, don't buy it. But at least try and get your numbers right before crying scam.

[The_Virginian]

I'd go with High efficiency desiel or ALL electric, than add yet more complexity and failure into a system.

None will "save" us from PO, but it's just a play for more time.

[davep]

$this->bbcode_second_pass_quote('The_Virginian', 'I')'d go with High efficiency desiel or ALL electric, than add yet more complexity and failure into a system.

None will "save" us from PO, but it's just a play for more time.

[vaseline2008]

Here in Orange County CA, the bus system OCTA has many LNG buses in operation.

[Spanktron9]

No.

Edit: I just noticed the "frownie face" looks like my avatar! Lol.

[The_Toecutter]

$this->bbcode_second_pass_quote('', 'P')eople still buy new cars? I call BS on that.

[kublikhan]

When you do extensive aerodynamic work, do you make any illegal modifications like removing the side mirrors?

[yesplease]

You can, but it's not a set in stone requirement. Some states allow mirrors on the inside, while others require at least one mirror on the DS and something on the windshield IIRC. I've even seen people make clear boattailed plastic snap-on thingies for their mirrors.

[Tanada]

Lots of pretty pictures at link below quote.

$this->bbcode_second_pass_quote('', 'H')onda today introduced the world to the latest version of its Odyssey minivan, a top-selling model that is produced at the company’s Alabama factory. The redesigned 2018 Odyssey, unveiled at the North American International Auto Show in Detroit, raises the stakes for family-friendly packaging, performance and technology in the minivan segment, said John Mendel, executive vice president of American Honda Motor Co. “In all aspects of its design, the new Odyssey is made to keep every member of the family happy, no matter the seating position, no matter the destination,” he said. The Odyssey is a key part of the lineup at Honda’s $2.2 billion auto assembly plant in Talladega County, where more than 4,500 workers help build it, along with the Pilot SUV, Ridgeline pickup, Acura MDX SUV and the engines that power all four models.

The Odyssey was the first vehicle the automaker produced in Alabama, with the first one rolling off the assembly line in November 2001. Since then, an estimated 2.3 million have followed. “Honda is a huge pillar of Alabama’s auto industry, responsible for thousands of jobs and millions of dollars in investment as it continually expands, takes on new models and spins off additional support businesses in the state,” said Greg Canfield, secretary of the Alabama Department of Commerce. “It all started with the Odyssey, and we can’t wait to see how this latest version of Alabama workers’ innovation and craftsmanship attracts even more customers to the brand.” Raising the bar On the outside, Mendel said, the fifth generation of America’s best-selling minivan takes Odyssey styling to a new level of sophistication and premium design: Low, wide, improved aerodynamics, a more sharply sculpted body side and a fresh new take on the signature lightning bolt beltline.

Under the hood, a new 3.5-liter direct-injected V-6 engine is mated to one of two new transmissions, including the first-ever Honda-developed 10-speed. Honda’s transmission plant in Georgia will lead global production of the new 10-speed, which will make its way into other Honda vehicles in the future. Inside the Odyssey is a host of new and improved family-friendly features focused on functionality and connectivity, including: Magic Slide seats, which move front-to-back and side-to-side, improving access to seating; The CabinWatch system that allows parents to get a bird’s-eye view of the second and third row seats through a ceiling-mounted camera, day or night; CabinTalk technology, which acts as a PA system so mom and dad can directly connect with the kids; The CabinControl app that allows passengers to control the rear entertainment system, audio, heating and AC from their smartphones; 4G LTE Wi-Fi; A “How Much Farther?” app that lets kids track their journey’s progress. Mendel said Honda’s research showed third-row users, typically older kids, felt left out, so some of the new features are aimed at fixing that.

There are new and improved premium safety features throughout the updated minivan. “We know our customers are really going to love this new Odyssey and all it has to offer,” Mendel said. ‘Truck of the Year’ It’s already been a big day for Honda Manufacturing of Alabama at the Detroit auto show.

This morning, the Alabama-made Ridgeline pickup was named the 2017 North American Truck of the Year, besting two other finalists: the Ford F-series Super Duty and the Nissan Titan. “This award is a prized validation of the innovations and advantages the Ridgeline offers midsize pickup truck customers and a great recognition of the American development team’s work,” Mendel said. “This is a terrific way to kick off 2017, and we’re looking forward to sharing more innovative Honda products in the year ahead.” The Talladega County plant last spring launched mass production of the redesigned Ridgeline, which adopts a more traditional pickup profile than its predecessor. Promoted as the “ultimate tailgater,” the 2017 Ridgeline has an audio system in the truck bed, along with a 400-watt power inverter that can energize a blender, flat-screen TV or other gameday gear. It’s the first and only pickup to earn a Top Safety Pick+ rating from the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety, when equipped with available front crash-prevention system and LED headlights. This marks the Ridgeline’s second Truck of the Year of the award; the first was in 2006 when it debuted in the market. Honda’s Alabama operations just capped a record year in 2016, producing an all-time high of 369,576 vehicles and engines.

[Tanada]

$this->bbcode_second_pass_quote('pstarr', 'I')s American production supposed to be proof that Trump will make American Great Again? I don't see how ' a new level of sophistication ' and a 'a more sharply sculpted body side' will save us from peak oil.

The very first post in this 12-year old thread was about a Honda natural-gas ICE. We debated this issue for over a decade. NG cars were supposed to replace gasoline. They didn't and can't. What is the point of posting that consumer news, Tanada? Do you believe in peak oil?