Honda has said that it will launch a concept version of its new small hybrid vehicle called 'Insight' at the Paris International Auto Show in Oct 2008. The car will have a capacity of five passengers. The car would be developed on an entirely new platform and will be smaller than the Civic Hybrid. Its style would be inspired from one of the Honda FCX Clarity hydrogen cell car.

 

The car would be powered by the 1.4-litre petrol engine and electric motor which is already in use in the Civic Hybrid will give a power of 115bhp. The design of the car is so that when operating at low speeds, the car will work entirely on battery power. It will ensure zero emissions. Also, at the higher speeds a combination of brake energy and acceleration will be used to re-charge the Insight’s hybrid battery.

 

The new concept car from Honda is a new stage in the evolution of hybrid technology where a more cost-efficient version of Honda’s Integrated Motor Assist(TM) (IMA(TM)) hybrid technology has been utilized. The firm believes that with the latest technological inputs, the new version of Insight will help people buy hybrid cars. Each Clarity would cost some $200,000 to Honda.