Honda to rush Fit Hybrid into production

Following a very successful launch for the Insight Hybrid where it became the first hybrid vehicle in history to top the Japanese sales charts last month, Honda are moving to put the Fit Hybrid into production a full 18 months ahead of schedule. Honda had originally planned to introduce the hybrid Fit in 2012, when the next vehicle remodeling was scheduled. Due to unprecedented demand for the Insight they will develop the Fit hybrid based on the current subcompact model to allow them to roll it out in fall 2010.

The hybrid Fit will come with the same 1.3 Liter 8 valve VTEC petrol engine found in the Insight hybrid so other than finding somewhere to fit the 100 volt 0.58 Kw/hr Nickel Metal Hydride (Ni-MH) battery pack, most of the development work has already been done.

The Fit Hybrid is expected to deliver 71 mpg US (3.33L/100 km) compared to 41 mpg US (5.74L/100 km) for the 2010 Insight which will make it even more fuel efficient that the original 2000 model Insight.