Japanese car major Honda will be showcasing a series of new technology cars, including fuel-cell car 'Honda FCX' and hybrid car 'Honda Insight,' at the Auto Expo that kicks off in a few days in New Delhi.
The company's Indian subsidiary Honda Siel Cars India, which is preparing for a major expansion in India, will also display the hugely popular Honda Civic model, which it hopes to launch in the market this year.
Also on display would be the Formula One Racing car from the company's stable, according to sources.
The FCX demonstrates Honda s revolutionary fuel-cell technology and is considered the world's most advanced fuel-cell vehicle (FCV) in regular daily operation.
A fuel-cell vehicle is powered by an electric motor running on electricity generated by a fuel stack, which uses hydrogen as its energy source. The unique technology used in FCX allows its motor to be powered with electricity generated from a hydrogen-oxygen chemical reaction, thereby producing water vapour as the only emission.
With a maximum output of 80 horsepower, FCX's acceleration is ideal for city driving.
While the 2005 Honda FCX is Honda's second-generation fuel-cell vehicle, it is the first to be powered by a Honda designed and manufactured fuel-cell stack.
On the other hand, the Honda Insight, a globally successful example of the company's hybrid engine technology, was introduced in 1999, making Honda the first automobile manufacturer to introduce gas-electric hybrid technology.
The Insight delivers outstanding efficiency by using Integrated Motor Assist, which pairs a compact 1.0-litre, 3-cylinder gasoline engine with an ultra-thin electric motor.
A lean-burn fuel-injection system and VTEC (variable valve timing and lift electronic control) technology further helps in improving power and fuel-economy of the car.
As the first gasoline-electric hybrid, the Honda Insight is credited as the original hybrid car.
The display of the racing car emanates from the company's long-standing association with Formula One. Honda won its first Formula 1 title in 1965, just a year after becoming the first Japanese engine manufacturer for the same.
Honda F1 machine is built with one of the highest technology. The Honda F1 engine [Honda RA005E] weighs 95 kg and rotates around 20,000 RPM to generate a whopping output of 900 plus BHP.
Honda F1 cars run at very high speeds, taking just 5.2 seconds to move from 0-200 kmph, generally racing at top speeds of over 350 kmph. -- PTI
(Above) Takeo Fukui, president of Japan's Honda Motor, poses next to the concept car 'Honda FCX.'
Photograph: Kazuhiro Nogi / AFP / Getty Images
More from rediff