From Ecopedia

Overview

Founded on 24 September 1948 and headquartered in Tokyo’s Minato, Honda Motor Company, Ltd. is a globally-leading Japan-based multinational company, primarily involved in manufacturing automobiles and motorbikes.

Apart from motor cycles and automobiles, Honda Corporation is engaged in the production of scooters, electrical generators, Robotics, ATVs, lawn and garden equipments, Jets as well as Jet engines. Honda is also a global leader in manufacturing internal combustion engines.

In 1986, the automobile company also became the first Japanese automaker to release a complete luxury automobile, Acura.

Honda owns assembly plants across the entire globe including China, Pakistan, India, the US, Canada, Brazil, Belgium, Turkey, Thailand, Indonesia, England and New Zealand.

The company’s global automobile line up includes Civic, Accord, Fit, Insight, Odyssey, S2000 as well as CR-V.

Environmental Information

Honda’s product profile is made up of mostly small to mid-size vehicles that incorporate fuel-efficiency features as well as Hybrid vehicles such the Honda Insight, contributing to a smaller carbon footprint.

The new green technology of the company incorporated in Honda’s HA-420 HondaJet, permits new reduced drag levels and enhanced aerodynamics in addition to offering fuel efficiency to assure reduction in pollution levels apart from lowered operational costs.

Some of the popular electric and alternative fuel automobiles manufactured by the Honda including, Honda Civic GX, Honda Civic Hybrid, Honda Insight hybrid electric vehicle and Honda FCX Clarity, a hydrogen fuel cell vehicle contribute significantly to lowered carbon emissions.

The Honda Civic GX, in particular, is currently the only available natural gas vehicle (NGV) in the US automobile market. The vehicle received the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA)’s recognition as the most-green internal combustion engine available in the present-day global market.

On the other hand, the company’s Brazilian flexible-fuel version of Honda Civic and Honda Fit, would utilize any blend of E20-E25 gasoline and hydrous ethanol for operation. Honda City is another car to run on flexible-fuel.

Honda Insight, the first commercially available hybrid electric car in the US market received recognition as the most fuel-efficient car as per the EPA’s (Environmental Protection Agency’s) highway rating.

Progressing towards achieving minimal carbon footprint, Honda manufactured the first assemble-line of FCX Clarity, which utilizes a hybrid hydrogen fuel cell for powering the car. By combining oxygen and hydrogen from ordinary air, electricity is generated for the electric motor.

Also, similar to a gas-electric vehicle, the fuel cell automobile makes use of eco-friendly and fuel-efficient lithium ion battery to assist in acceleration as well as energy capture while applying brakes.

Eco-friendly Technologies

---

Honda is a pioneer in internal combustion engine technology. Incorporating the internal combustion engine technology, many Honda automobiles running on gasoline engines achieved very low emission levels and enhanced fuel efficiency, while achieving enhanced driving performance.

Gas-electric hybrid technology that powers the Honda Insight as well as hydrogen-powered fuel cell technology that powers the FCX Clarity fuel cell electric vehicle (FCEV), serve to demonstrate the environmental achievements of the company.

FCEV, in particular, revolutionized the mobility market in the US. Both the state of California and the EPA certified the FCEV for achieving fuel efficiency through the use of sustainable source of energy.

Honda is also currently venturing a unique energy-efficient technology useful in the home front too. In order to enhance energy usage at homes, Honda is currently developing energy-efficient Micro-Combined Heat and Power (MCHP) system, which utilizes the principles of co-generating heat and power to drastically reduce greenhouse gases (GHGs) emissions by a maximum of 30%.

Right from the time of the company’s inception, Honda committed strictly to developing environmentally responsible automobile technologies. Starting with the ingenious Civic CVCC engine technology introduced in 1974, to the present-day fuel-cell technology, the company took meticulous measures to strictly adhere to environmental regulations and methods in developing the automobile technologies that ensure lower emissions and high fuel-efficiency.

Responsible for near-zero emissions

---

Honda’s Civic GX vehicle that is powered by a Compressed Natural gas (CNG) engine, produces near-zero emissions, making significant contribution to the protection of the environmental health of the planet.

On the other hand, Honda hybrids combine the convenience and performance of gasoline with the efficiency of the electric power to produce no harmful greenhouse gases (GHGs) emissions.

The Honda FCX, a fuel cell electric vehicle powered by both the electric and fuel-cell technology produces no carbon emissions but leaves behind clean water vapor alone.

International Recognitions and Awards

---

Many awards and accolades were bestowed on the company for adopting numerous eco-friendly technologies and practices.

In 2006, in recognition of the company’s enduring environmental role, four of the company vehicles received American Council for an Energy Efficient Economy (ACEEE) recognition as the “greenest vehicles”.

In 2007, Honda received the “Greenest Automaker” title from the US-based Union of Concerned Scientists (UCS) for the fourth-consecutive year. Honda earned the award for meeting the green criteria of producing lowest overall global-warming emissions (chiefly CO2) and smog-forming emissions in the company’s entire automobile fleet in the US.

Honda Insight ranks first in Edmonds.com’s “Top 10 Most Fuel-Efficient Cars for 2005" list. Insight also earns 2005’s Highest EPA Fuel Economy Rating.

References

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Honda http://corporate.honda.com/environment/ http://corporate.honda.com/environment/vehicles.aspx http://corporate.honda.com/environment/community.aspx http://corporate.honda.com/environment/awards.aspx