Archive for the ‘Honda’ Category

With more and more electric cars hitting the market, you may have wondered when Honda’s planning to release one. The answer: 2012.

Honda recently showed off the newest addition to their lineup, the Honda Fit EV, an all-electric plug-in version of their already popular Honda Fit. This is the latest technology in Honda’s goal of a complete lineup of zero emissions vehicles.

Equipped with a lithium-ion battery and coaxial electric motor, the Honda Fit EV is being designed to meet the needs of the average metropolitan commuter.  Room for five passengers and a driving range of 70 miles make the Fit EV comfortable and cost-efficient for city dwellers.

To make the driving experience more performance-driven and fun, the Honda Fit EV features an E-Drive system with three driving modes: Econ, Normal and Sport. These drive modes change the driving experience, maximize efficiency or improve acceleration based on which mode you choose.  The econ mode increases the driving range by 17 percent over normal mode and nearly 25 percent over sport mode.

Keeping up with the growing trend of smart phone apps for vehicles, the Honda Fit EV will have its own app for drivers. From this, drivers will be able to keep track of the state of charge, initiate charging and activate the air conditioning system while the Fit EV is still connected to the grid. Non-smart phone users can opt to use a special Honda remote or a personal computer application to keep an eye on their Fit EV.

Charging the Honda Fit EV can easily be done at a public charging station, from a 112- or 240-volt home outlet or using the Honda charging stand. A full charge will take less than 12 hours using a 120-volt outlet and less than six hours using a 240-volt outlet.

The ultra-green Honda Fit EV will be available at your Independence Honda dealer in 2012. Will you be ready to drive your own electric vehicle?

If you’ve ever wondered which vehicles are truly the greenest, you don’t need to wonder anymore. The American Council for an Energy-Efficient Economy recently released their list of the 12 greenest vehicles of the model year with seven of our Performance Auto vehicles topping the list.

Among the greenest vehicles on the list are:

Honda Civic GX, starting at $25,490

Available in Nebraska by the end of 2012, the partial zero-emission Honda Civic GX is powered by compressed natural gas and includes:

• 24 city/36 highway miles per gallon
• 113 horsepower
• 1.8-liter 16-valve SOHC i-VTEC 4-cylinder engine
• Five-speed automatic transmission

 

 

Smart Fortwo, starting at $11,990

The ultra-low emission Smart ForTwo features:

• 33 city/41 highway miles per gallon
• Five-speed automated manual transmission
• Water soluble paints on the entire body
• Fully-recyclable body panels

Toyota Prius, starting at $23,050

Known for its performance-driven hybrid capabilities, the Toyota Prius offers drivers:

• 51 city/48 highway miles per gallon
• Sealed nickel-metal hydride battery
• Easy to use hybrid system

Honda Civic Hybrid, starting at $23,950

The partial zero-emission Honda Civic Hybrid includes:

• 40 city/43 highway miles per gallon
• 1.3-liter 8-valve 4-cylinder gas engine and high-output electric motor
• Integrated motor assist system

Honda Insight, starting at $18,200

Aimed at helping drivers improve their driving habits to improve fuel efficiency, the Honda Insight offers:

• Combined 43 miles per gallon
• Continuously variable transmission
• 1.3-liter 8-valve iVTEC 4-cylinder engine
• DC-brushless electric motor
• Green ECON button that regulates certain vehicle functions to maximize fuel economy

Ford Fiesta, starting at $15,120

A fun-to drive, fuel-efficient car, the Ford Fiesta includes:

• 29 city/40 highway miles per gallon
• 1.6-liter, 16-valve Duratec I4 engine
• Rapid-fire shifting
• Aerodynamic details to improve fuel efficiency

Toyota Yaris, starting at $12,995

Designed to offer even more people the opportunity to own a hybrid, the Toyota Yaris offers:

• 29 city/36 highway miles per gallon
• 1.5 liter DOHC 16-valve engine with variable valve timing
• 106 horsepower

These green vehicles were chosen based on their total emissions, not just what’s coming out of the tailpipe. These emissions include how electricity for plug-in vehicles is created and what materials are used in the hybrid batteries.

All of these performance-driven vehicles get you where you need to go while helping you reduce your impact on the environment. Are you ready to go green?

Electric cars are making their way to Nebraska… are you ready? By 2013, you’ll be able to purchase electric cars from your favorite Performance Auto dealerships. Before you purchase an electric vehicle, though, you need to make sure your home is ready to support one.

Some of the vehicles that will be available from Performance Auto in the coming months include:

• Ford Focus Electric
• Smart Electric
• Mercedes-Benz Electric SLS AMG
• Toyota Prius Plug-In Hybrid
• Toyota RAV4-EV
• Volkswagen E-Up
• Volkswagen Golf Electric
• Honda small plug-in electric commuter car (not yet named)
• Honda mid-sized plug-in vehicle (not yet named)

When you decide to begin your search for an electric vehicle in Omaha, you should contact Omaha Public Power District (OPPD) and engage them in the process. They will be able to provide you with information on getting your home plug-in ready and make you aware of your charging options.

When looking for an electric vehicle, consider the following:

• How often will you use your electric vehicle? This will affect how often it needs charged, which will affect the wiring your will need in your home.
• Are you buying a plug-in hybrid or a battery electric car? Both types of vehicles have different charging times and different driving ranges.
• What type of charging is right for you: Level One or Level Two?

Level One Charging:  Level One charging is done on a standard 120-volt outlet and typically will not require a system upgrade. A full charge for a battery electric vehicle takes 12-24 hours.

Level Two Charging: Level Two charging is done on a 240-volt outlet and requires changes to your electric panel and adding a new circuit.

Once you’ve decided what electric vehicle options are best for you, make sure your home is prepared to charge your new vehicle. To prepare your home, follow these tips:

• Research and obtain any city permits needed for electrical work.
• Hire an electrical contractor to ensure any electrical work is done safely and properly.
• Contact OPPD and to estimate how much an electric car will impact your electric bill.
• Complete the electric vehicle readiness checklist at www.oppd.com/ev.

Follow these steps on you’ll be ready to take home your own electric vehicle when they hit our showroom floors!

After six years of a relatively unchanged Honda Civic, Honda will reveal a newly redesigned 2012 Civic this week at the North American International Auto Show in Detroit. Kept under wraps, speculation and curiosity surround the 2012 Honda Civic.

Scheduled to arrive in showrooms this summer, the 2012 Honda Civic is expected to have a starting price just over a $16,000. The Civic will be offered in both a gas and a hybrid model to suit a variety of driving wants and needs. According to Edmunds, the 2012 Civic will most likely have a 1.8 liter, 4 cylinder engine with 150 horsepower.

While Honda hasn’t released definite information on the 2012 Civic, web sites such as Left Lane News and Auto Guide say the new Civic will receive a body update, making it look more energetic and sleek.  A new front grille, new headlights and wider fenders create the 2012 Civic’s new look. Overall, the size of the Honda Civic will remain fairly unchanged. Buyers can choose between a two-door and a four-door design based on their needs.

Inside the 2012 Honda Civic, a larger cabin provides more headroom for all and legroom for rear passengers. Other inside improvements include climate control push buttons and leather seats.

Specifics on gas mileage haven’t been released, but the 2012 Honda Civic is expected to achieve better gas mileage than the 36 miles per gallon the 2011 Civic achieves. However, the 2012 Civic will keep many of the same features as the 2011 model, including:

• Two-tier instrument panel
• Flat rear floor for rear passenger comfort
• Dual stage multiple-threshold front airbags
• Occupant detection system
• Vehicle stability assist
• Anti-lock braking system

The 2012 Honda Civic is expected to be in showrooms late this spring, so be sure to check regularly with IndependenceHonda.net for more details on this exciting new vehicle!

If you’ve visited the gas station recently, you may have noticed a new fuel label—E85. What is E85? Can your vehicle run on it? We’re here to answer these questions and more.

E85 is a blend of 85 percent ethanol and 15 percent unleaded gasoline. The 85 percent ethanol is made from fermented corn or other grain products. Because of this, E85 is fairly easy to find in the Midwest, where the majority of the nation’s corn is grown.

Ford, Toyota, Chrysler, Dodge, Jeep, Mercedes-Benz and Honda all make vehicles capable of running on E85.  Vehicles such as the Ford F-150, the Jeep Grand Cherokee and the Dodge Durango, also known as flexible-fuel vehicles, are able to run on a variety of fuels. They work with 100 percent E85, 100 percent pump gasoline or any combination of ethanol and gasoline. A special computer in each vehicle monitors these fuels and helps the vehicle run efficiently on whichever fuel you choose to fill up with.

E85 has many advantages over gasoline:
• E85 is up to 30 cents cheaper to fill-up with per gallon.
• E85 keeps fuel systems cleaner than gasoline, which results in potentially lower long-term maintenance costs.
• E85 vehicles have lower carbon monoxide and carbon dioxide emissions than gas or diesel vehicles.
• E85 is a renewable resource.
• E85 can help lessen our dependence on foreign oil.

Ready to switch to E85? Check out our lineup of flexible fuel vehicles at www.PerformanceAuto.com.