India witnessed the launch of its very first hybrid car, the sedan Civic by Japanese car manufacturer Honda Motor Co on Wednesday, June 18, 2008. The Honda Civic incorporates a petrol engine as well as electric battery and costs Rs 21.5 lakh (ex-showroom Delhi). On a completely built unit (CBU), the import duty is 104 per cent and Honda plans to import the CBU from Japan where it manufactures the car for international markets.

 

But it is also looking at alternatives by which it can import the engine and parts and then assemble them here. The Honda Motors said that it does not wish to sell Civic Hybrid in bulk in India, but only intends to showcase its technology and commitment to environment. Mr Jnaneswar Sen, Vice President, Sales and Marketing said that Honda has brought around 130 units and aims to sell around 300 in the year. It was underscored that Civic Hybrid will not be manufactured in India.

 

The Honda Civic Hybrid will have a 1.3 litre petrol engine. Both engine and the motor will function together right from the time of start-up and acceleration. But the motor ceases to work and the car only runs on the engine, when being driven at a high speed. When the car is idling, the petrol engine automatically stops and the battery keeps the vehicle running, saving fuel. When the Honda Civic Hybrid car is being driven at 40-50 km per hour, it runs only on the battery offering maximum fuel efficiency.