Accord Hybrid Might Be US-Built in 2015
Anyone interested in buying a hybrid Honda Accord had better not hold their breath – there won’t be many making it to the U.S.
That’s because the strong yen is forcing Honda’s export costs high enough to seriously squeeze profit margins, something the conservative company might soon change by relocating some of its production to the U.S.
Honda chief engineer Chitoshi Yokota told Japanese newspaper Nikkei Sangyo business daily that those changes might be coming soon.
“We won’t be able to expand the business unless we come to be able to procure and make the battery and the motor locally, maybe around 2015,” he said.
But when that happens, customers can expect to see more Accord hybrids in North American showrooms although it still isn’t clear where Honda will move Accord production when that shift takes place.
[Source: Auto News]
Luke is an energetic automotive journalist who spends his time covering industry news and crawling the internet for the latest breaking story. When he isn't in the office, Luke can be found obsessively browsing used car listings, drinking scotch at his favorite bar and dreaming of what to drive next, though the list grows a lot faster than his bank account. He's always on <A title="@lukevandezande on Twitter" href="http://twitter.com/lukevandezande">Twitter</A> looking for a good car conversation. Find Luke on <A title="@lukevandezande on Twitter" href="http://twitter.com/lukevandezande">Twitter</A> and <A title="Luke on Google+" href="http://plus.google.com/112531385961538774338?rel=author">Google+</A>.
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