Honda to drop Perception hybrid in U.S.

Honda Motor Co. is dropping the Insight gasoline-electric hybrid within the U.S. to concentrate on hybrid variations of three core fashions — the CR-V crossover and the Accord and Civic.

Honda mentioned Thursday it’s going to discontinue manufacturing of the Insight at its Greensburg, Ind., plant in June.

The Perception was the primary gasoline-electric hybrid bought within the U.S., although it was rapidly eclipsed by the Toyota Prius.

A redesigned CR-V and Accord, in addition to hybrid variations of every, shall be launched this yr, Honda mentioned, including it expects hybrids “will ultimately make up 50 p.c of the gross sales combine of every mannequin.”

Honda mentioned the Indiana manufacturing facility will concentrate on constructing the CR-V, CR-V hybrid and Civic hatchback.

Particulars in regards to the Civic hybrid shall be launched later, Honda mentioned.

“Hybrid-electric automobiles … are a essential pathway towards Honda’s imaginative and prescient for 100 p.c zero-emission automobile gross sales in North America by 2040,” Mamadou Diallo, vice chairman of auto gross sales at American Honda Motor Co., mentioned in an announcement. “Making the amount chief of our core fashions hybrid-electric will dramatically enhance electrified gross sales within the Honda lineup, a method that shall be augmented by the arrival of a Civic Hybrid sooner or later.”

Honda’s third-generation Perception was launched in 2018. U.S. gross sales of the most recent mannequin have tallied greater than 70,000.

It was reintroduced for the 2019 mannequin yr to function the entry level to Honda’s increasing electrified lineup. The Accord Hybrid is dearer, bigger and geared toward younger households.