Honda will position its edgy CR-Z to better compete with hybrid sales leader Toyota. Hybrids don’t have to sacrifice looks to be environmentally friendly — they can be muscular and stylish, too. That’s the message Honda hopes to send at this month’s Tokyo auto show with its new gas-electric hybrid sports car, the CR-Z.“This is something rivals can’t offer”, Tetsuji Morikawa, a Honda engineer, said of the CR-Z, whose sales date is promised for the “near future”.
The vehicle has maintained “the essence of the sports car” while still delivering good mileage and less pollution, he said. Hybrid vehicles tend to be bulkier than sleek sports cars because of the size and complexity of the hybrid systems, which include a battery, electric motor, engine, converter and other parts. They’re usually not known for their speed, acceleration and handling.
Tokyo-based Honda, which has sold about 220,000 hybrids worldwide so far, is eager to make its stamp by showing how its reputation for sporty cars will also work for hybrids.
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