Honda yesterday announced that it will stop selling the Civic Hybrid and Civic CNG (compressed natural gas), a decision that follows the U.S. withdrawal of the disappointing Honda Accord Plug-in Hybrid.
The current Civic Hybrid doesn't really make sense after news that the future Civic will achieve more than 40 mpg based on EPA testing in the U.S. As for the Civic CNG, the lack of a natural gas infrastructure is what doomed this model.
Automotive News reports that the Japanese automaker will now turn its efforts to developing a next-generation, two-motor hybrid system that will appear in a new Accord Hybrid due by 2018.
John Mendel, executive vice president of American Honda Motor Co., also confirmed a redesigned, hydrogen-powered fuel cell vehicle for next year. A new plug-in hybrid, a new battery-electric model, and a three-motor hybrid system are in the works, too.
Mendel claims this new generation of electrified vehicles will yield significant sales.