The new 2018 Odyssey is the centerpiece of Honda's display booth at the Detroit auto show. The minivan is impressive with its 10-speed automatic transmission, adjustable roof and movable seats. At the auto show, Honda announced that a two-motor hybrid will be introduced in its light-truck lineup for 2018.
According to the Car and Driver, the plan to produce hybrids is part of Honda's electrification initiative program. Honda President and CEO Takihiro Hachigo said that succeeding Honda models are featuring electric drive technology and the company plans to have two out of three vehicles by the year 2030 to be electric driven.
No details were given by Honda but the company mentioned that the planned hybrid will be the same system used in the Honda Accord hybrid which has already been rated by EPAS. The hybrid is in addition to the Clarity, which is presently driven by fuel-cell and will have all-electric and plug-in versions by the 2018.
The five-seater Clarity is actually powered by hydrogen and has a range of 366 miles with an economy rating 68Ge. It is a green that emits water as exhaust and has been made available only to California residents on a lease arrangement that includes Apple Play and Android Auto.
The Honda lease arrangement offers a package of safety driver assistance tech program for 20,000 miles and $15,000 worth of hydrogen fuel. It costs $2,499 plus a $369 first month payment.
The Honda vehicles marked for hybridization in the company's light truck lineup are the Odyssey, Pilot, HR-V, CR-V and Ridgeline. No details on which vehicle will be first to be installed was made.
The Odyssey is most likely to be first since Honda already has a hybrid minivan also called Odyssey offered in Japan with a two motor set-up, the Japanese Odyssey, but it is very much smaller and not the same as the U.S. It is almost sure that the Honda hybrid in the U.S. will be the Odyssey.
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