News so BIG, We Had to Tell You About it!

Just Announced! 0.9% Purchase Financing FOR 5 YEARS

*Limited time financing offers based on new 2010 Honda models available through Honda Financial Services on approved credit. 0.9% financing available on all new 2010 Civic, Accord and CR-V models for up to 60 months on approved credit. Retailer may sell for less. Retailer order / trade may be necessary. Offer valid from January 27th, 2010 through March 1st, 2010 at participating Honda retailers. Offer valid only for Ontario residents at Ontario Honda Dealers. Offers subject to change or cancellation without notice. See your Honda retailer for full details.

Hot Off The Press!

This just came in! Hot off the press, well fax machine... Honda has put together a very special program to help consumers make an easier decision in purchasing their next vehicle. These interest rates are the lowest that they have ever been. No one knows how long they will last, so hurry in and don't miss out on the savings!

Our own Honda HFP Ridgeline with BF Goodrich Badging

This HFP Honda Ridgeline was a custom piece that we did for a customer. Complete with a lift-kit, BF Goodrich badging and HFP performance parts. With a truck like this, you can park anywhere you want.

Honda's New Solar Charging Station for the FCX Clarity

01/27/2010 - TORRANCE, Calif. -
Honda today began operation of a next generation solar hydrogen station prototype at the Los Angeles Center of Honda R&D Americas, Inc., intended for ultimate use as a home refueling appliance capable of an overnight refill of fuel cell electric vehicles.

Designed as a single, integrated unit to fit in the user's garage, Honda's next generation Solar Hydrogen Station reduces the size of the system, while producing enough hydrogen (0.5kg) via an 8-hour overnight fill for daily commuting (10,000 miles per year) for a fuel cell electric vehicle.

The previous solar hydrogen station system required both an electrolyzer and a separate compressor unit to create high pressure hydrogen. The compressor was the largest and most expensive component and reduced system efficiency. By creating a new high differential pressure electrolyzer, Honda engineers were able to eliminate the compressor entirely - a world's first for a home use system. This innovation also reduces the size of other key components to make the new station the world's most compact system, while improving system efficiency by more than 25% (value calculated based on simulations) compared to the solar hydrogen station system it replaces.

Compatible with a "Smart Grid" energy system, the Honda Solar Hydrogen Station would enable users to refill their vehicle overnight without the requirement of hydrogen storage, which would lower CO2 emissions by using less expensive off-peak electrical power. During daytime peak power times, the Solar Hydrogen Station can export renewable electricity to the grid, providing a cost benefit to the customer, while remaining energy neutral.

Designed for simple, user-friendly operation, the intuitive system layout enables the user to easily lift and remove the fuel hose, with no hose coiling when the hose is returned to the dispenser unit.

Engineered for an 8-hour, slow fill for overnight refilling of a fuel cell electric vehicle, the home-use Solar Hydrogen Station would replenish the hydrogen for a typical daily driving, meeting the commuting requirements of many drivers. As with the previous generation system, the hydrogen purity from the new station meets the highest SAE (J2719) and ISO (14687) specifications.

Installed at the Los Angeles Center of Honda R&D Americas, the new Solar Hydrogen Station will employ the same 48-panel, 6.0kW solar array that powered the previous system. The array utilizes thin film solar cells composed of copper, indium, gallium and selenium (CIGS) produced by Honda Soltec Co., Inc., a wholly-owned subsidiary of Honda that was established for the mass production and sales of solar cells capable of efficient renewable electricity generation. Honda's unique solar cells reduce the amount of CO2 generated during production as compared to conventional solar cells.

Designed to support the needs of the future owners of fuel cell electric vehicles, the Honda Solar Hydrogen Station was also designed to complement a public network of fast fill hydrogen stations. The Honda FCX Clarity electric vehicle is fast fill capable and offers an EPA-estimated driving range of 240 miles. With fast fill public stations providing 5-minute fueling time for longer trips, and the opportunity of convenient nighttime slow filling at home using a solar station with a Smart Grid connection, the Honda FCX Clarity can cover a wide range of driving demands from the daily commute to weekend trips.

A key strategy in creating a solar hydrogen station for home-use was to create a new lifestyle with convenient, clean, energy-efficient and sustainable home refueling, by addressing the need for refueling infrastructure that can advance the wider use of fuel cell electric vehicles by consumers.

The combination of a fuel cell electric vehicle and the solar hydrogen station could help lead to the establishment of a hydrogen society based on renewable energy, resulting in a major reduction of CO2 emissions and greater energy sustainability.
Honda began operation of its first Solar Hydrogen Station at the Los Angeles Center of Honda R&D Americas in 2001:

July 2001: 3-unit system with hydrogen storage begins operation.
October 2003: new 2-unit system with an original Honda electrolyzer and a new solar array utilizing prototype Honda CIGS solar cells offers improved system efficiency.
August 2008: solar array fitted with mass production CIGS cells from Honda Soltec Co., reducing the size of the array by 20% and further improving photo voltaic (PV) energy efficiency.
January 2010: new single-unit station begins operation, improving to world's best system efficiency - increasing the efficiency by more than 25% (value calculated based on simulations) compared to the previous solar hydrogen station system, for a world's highest system efficiency.

About Honda R&D Americas, Inc.Honda R&D Americas, Inc. (HRA) is responsible for creating advanced technologies and products in the U.S. that provide new value to Honda and Acura customers. HRA began R&D operations in the U.S. in 1975 with market research activities in California, and has steadily grown its capabilities over the past 35 years to include all aspects of new vehicle design and development, as well as taking a leading role in the advancement of leading-edge safety and environmental technologies.

Today, Honda operates 15 major R&D facilities in the U.S. with more than 1,300 designers, engineers and support personnel engaged in the development of automobiles, motorcycles and power equipment products for North America and global markets.

HRA's major centers include the Los Angeles Center (Torrance, CA), responsible for market research, concept development and styling design; the Ohio Center (Raymond, OH) responsible for complete product development, testing and support of North American supplier development; and a dynamic test facility in Ohio; and the North Carolina Center (Swepsonville, NC) responsible for power equipment R&D.

Source;
http://www.hondanews.com/categories/1097/releases/5366

Spy Shots of the New Honda Odyssey - Debut at the Chicago Auto Show

01/26/2010 - TORRANCE, Calif. - American Honda Motor Co., Inc., will debut a concept version of the next-generation Honda Odyssey minivan at the 2010 Chicago Auto Show on February 10, the company announced today.

The next-generation Odyssey will further enhance its hallmark qualities of innovation, quality, safety and fun-to-drive character, while increasing its overall efficiency. The Odyssey, currently in its third generation, was the best-selling minivan in the United States in 2008 and 2009. It is produced from domestic and globally sourced parts by Honda Manufacturing of Alabama, LLC in Lincoln, Alabama.

Source;
http://www.hondanews.com/categories/1097/releases/5365

2011 Honda CR-Z Official Website

For those of you interested in any new news on the 2011 Honda CR-Z Hybrid, here's the link to Honda's dedicated CR-Z site;

http://cr-z.honda.com/

Gesture Control Coming to a Honda Near You!

Honda Gathers Advance 4 is a technology that will combine voice command (voice recognition) and gesture control (command based on the movement) to operate the car navigation system and entertainment media in the car (multimedia system). At least with these two things above, you do not need to turn your eyes from the road.

As seen in the figure, motion sensors placed in the center of the steering wheel so that when you want to access a menu, simply move the hand on the steering wheel and it can be done without seeing.
The Honda Gathers system is a proprietary Honda audio, multimedia and navigation system already on the market in Japan. The idea of using both voice and gesture recognition to control an entertainment and navigation system makes more sense than any touch-based system, so we’re quite keen to see whetre things lead with this.

Source;
http://www.itechdiary.com/honda-gathers-advance-4-technology-that-combines-voice-command-and-gesture-control-in-the-car.html