2011 Digital Fact Book - Honda

Chronology
Note: North American highlights in bold.
2010
December • American Honda launches Honda Electric Vehicle Demonstration
Program with the first public test drive of a Fit EV prototype and an
Accord test vehicle outfitted with Honda’s new two-motor plug-in hybrid
system. City of Torrance Mayor Frank Scotto and American Honda
President & CEO Tetsuo Iwamura share the first drive.
• Honda Transmission Mfg., Inc. begins $70 million, 200,000-square-foot
expansion, including the addition of a third assembly line, along with
and additional $25 million in upgrades to improve plant flexibility.
• Honda Aircraft Company, Inc. completes the first flight of an
FAA-conforming HondaJet, on Dec. 20 at 3:31 p.m. EST in Greensboro,
NC, marking a significant step forward in the final phase of the
HondaJet development and FAA-certification program.
• Honda begins lease sales of the EV-neo electric scooter to customers
in Japan.
• Honda begins demonstration tests of next-generation, electricallypowered
personal mobility products with the Saitama and
Kumamoto prefectures as the next step in its Honda Electric
Mobility Network initiative.
November • Honda global CEO Takanobu Ito introduced the Fit EV Concept
electric vehicle and Honda plug-in hybrid vehicle platform at the
2010 Los Angeles Auto Show.
• The 2011 Accord is the first automobile to earn a five-star rating
for Overall Vehicle Score and each of three combined ratings
categories — frontal, side and rollover — under the NHTSA’s
modified New Car Assessment (NCAP) crash safety rating program
for the 2011 model year and beyond.
• The 2011 Accord and Fit are named to Car and Driver magazine’s
“10 Best Cars” list. It is Accord’s 25th appearance in 29 years, the
most of any vehicle in the award’s history, and the fifth consecutive
award for the Fit.
• The CR-Z sporty hybrid coupe is named Japan Car of the Year for
2010-2011.
• The BRIO Prototype, a prototype of Honda’s new small vehicle for Asian
markets, makes its world debut at the 27th Thailand International Motor
Expo in Bangkok.
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October • Honda is named “America’s Greenest Automaker” for the fifth
consecutive time by the Union of Concerned Scientists.
• Sales of the Honda Fit subcompact car reach 1.5 million units in
Japan and 3.5 million units worldwide.
• The ASIMO humanoid robot celebrates its 10th anniversary on
October 31, 2010, in Japan.
September • The Hybrid Jazz makes its world debut at the Paris Motor Show.
Packaging the IMA battery in the rear floor of the vehicle maintains
the Jazz’s large interior space and folding “magic seat” capability.
• Honda Manufacturing of Alabama, Inc., begins production of the fourth
generation, U.S.-designed and developed Honda Odyssey minivan
on Sept. 1 (U.S. on-sale date of Sept. 30). Two days later, the plant
celebrates production of its 2-millionth automobile (and V-6 engine),
a 2011 Honda Pilot.
• Honda Soltec introduces two new residential-use solar cell modules
in Japan.
August • All-new Honda CR-Z sport hybrid coupe introduced in the U.S.
and Canada.
• An all-new transmission plant at the Hamamatsu Factory, Honda’s
global “leader plant” for advanced transmission production, begins
manufacturing operations.
• Honda Soltec begins sales in Japan of new 120W and 130W residentialuse
solar cell modules, each achieving an 11.6 percent conversion rate,
the highest among CIGS-based solar cells being sold in Japan.
July • The Marysville Auto Plant produces its 10-millionth automobile, an
Accord Sedan, on July 20.
• The Anna Engine Plant, Honda’s largest automobile engine plant,
celebrates 25 years of engine production in Ohio, on July 21. Cumulative
engine production exceeds 17 million, with cumulative capital
investment of $1.7 billion.
June • Honda Power Equipment surpasses 30 million products shipped to
domestic dealers and distributors since it began offering engines, tillers
and generators to U.S. customers in 1972.