Honda plans electric car

Honda is to launch an electric car in 2012 in the US and Japan, joining the green motoring race in the wake of its rivals.

“Honda has no future unless we achieve significant reduction in CO2 emissions,” President Takanobu Ito said today. “The next 10 years will be a true test for Honda’s survival.”

Mr Ito declined to give details of the car and a plug-in hybrid also planned, including the batteries – the key component – they would use, but said green technology was becoming increasingly important.

Honda currently makes the Insight and CR-Z hybrids.

Japanese rival Nissan has already begun taking orders for its Leaf electric car, some of which will be built at its Sunderland plant.

Toyota is also planning an electric vehicle model for 2012.

Mitsubishi began selling its mass-produced electric vehicle, the iMiEV, earlier this year.