OGAN AUTO

A new era of transportation is fast approaching. The evidence: almost every major car manufacturer has plans to develop hybrid and electric vehicles.

Honda (NYSE:HMC) is the latest to reveal its intention to introduce both a plug-in hybrid (PHEV) and also electric vehicle into the U.S. market by 2012.

The specifications for Hondas future PHEV and electric car are not public, but they are expected to be comparable to the Nissan Leaf and Mitsubishi i MiEV.

Honda has also announced it will release a next generation Honda Civic Hybrid. The updated Civic Hybrid will feature lithium-ion batteries which are lighter, smaller, and more powerful than nickel-metal hybride batteries used to power most hybrid models.

Interestingly, Hondas plans to develop next generation hybrid and electric vehicles comes just two months after the company said it did not have a lot of faith in the electric car market.

Perhaps the company has been converted by the recent moves made by the other major car manufacturers. These moves include Volkswagen making it known it will significantly increase its electric vehicle program, GM taking orders for its plug-in hybrid, the Chevy Volt; and Nissans plans to introduce its all-electric Leaf in December.

Read the full story at U.S. News Rankings and Reviews: Honda to Introduce Plug-in Hybrid and Electric Vehicle by 2012