Honda Motor Co. Ltd.'s new Accord hybrid electric vehicle (HEV) will be profitable, vows President and CEO Takeo Fukui, who hints a hybrid light truck could be in the company's future.
Fukui says he is well aware of upcoming HEV truck offerings for the U.S. market, such as Ford Motor Co.'s Escape and Toyota Motor Corp.'s Highlander and Lexus 400h models, and does not rule out a hybrid light truck from Honda.
"Down the road, hybrid could expand into light trucks. Honda is not totally unaware of that possibility," says Fukui, admitting the auto maker's current hybrid system is better matched with smaller-size vehicles.
"But for heavier trucks, there's a question whether the hybrid is better or the environmental (clean) diesel. That is the customers' decision. We don't have any specific plans yet, but our R&D (research and development) team is considering all kinds of possibilities."