We’ve been hearing a lot about Honda’s upcoming hybrid-only model that is supposed to go head-to-head with the Toyota Prius. Honda CEO, Takeo Fukui, is now out and about speaking very confidently of Honda’s upcoming hybrid plans. First of all, Fukui feels that Honda suffered a huge misstep by rolling out a hybrid version of its Civic instead of a hybrid-only model.

“The real competition has just begun,” Fukui said. “Until now, it has been an image-based competition, not a business-based competition.”

Fukui said that Honda will approach the hybrid-war by attacking the pricing. The hybrid-only model that is expected to hit the market in early 2009 where pricing is expected to be below the Honda Civic Hybrid and right above the Honda Fit. The Civic Hybrid starts at $23,235, including shipping.

Honda hopes to sell 200,000 units annually for its global hybrid, 100,000 of which are expected to come from North American sales.

After the unnamed hybrid-only model hits the market, Honda is also planning the global release of a hybrid sports car based on the CR-Z concept.

Source: Automotive News (Subscription Required)

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