1 June 2001: Honda is to introduce a hybrid Civic in Japan in December and the car will be sold in the US next year. But the company says the high cost of producing such vehicles means strategy in this direction needs to be prudent.

In the meantime it is considering producing more diesel cars in Europe subsequent to the previously-reported Civic diesel and Accord diesel which are planned.

And the other big player in the hybrid programme, Toyota, is planning to launch a hybrid MPV Estima in June in Japan. Toyota, which now sells the Prius in Japan, the United States and Europe, had sold a total of 60,000 units by April since its launch in December 1997.

Honda, which also sells the Insight in Japan, the United States, Canada and Europe, had sold more than 7,500 units by April since its launch in November 1999. TW