For years, inventors and automakers have dreamt of creating an electric car. In fact, the electric car dream goes back to Thomas Edison’s time. However, electric cars have remained a novelty in the automotive world. This is mainly due to the limited battery life which impairs the practicality of such cars.

But that is bound to change with the recent announcement by Japanese automakers of their intent to develop electric cars and roll them out within the next few years. Already, recent technological breakthroughs in the development of longer-lasting lithium-ion batteries may soon eliminate the obstacle of limited battery life.

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Honda’s newest hybrid car due early next year will carry the Insight nameplate. The new gas-electric vehicle will be named after the original Insight. “The name Insight was chosen to denote Honda’s ’insight’ into a new era in which hybrid vehicles come within reach of most car buyers,” the company said. The new Honda Insight has a lofty goal of catching up to rival Toyota Prius’ success in the hybrid arena. Introduced back in 1999, the original Honda Insight was the first mass-produced hybrid automobile sold in the U.S. However, it was discontinued in 2006 due to sluggish global sales. In contrast, the Toyota Prius has sold more then a million units over the past ten years.
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The new Honda City 2009 looks promising with a redesigned front exterior that is inspire by the FCX Clarity. The interiors feature a neat dash with a clean and simple instrument cluster and center stack. The new headlamps feature reflector lenses which are less expensive than projector type.

Behind the steering wheel are paddle shifters for the automatic transmission. A 120-horespower 1.5 liter four-cylinder i-VTEC engine will provide power to the new City. This engine is also available on the Fit and Jazz models.

Here are some great sneak photos of the new 2009 Honda City:

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Aiming squarely at the market-leading Toyota Prius, Honda Motor Co. will introduce a new gas-electric hybrid by April of 2009. Honda already has the most fuel-efficient lineup in the US. “We’re targeting sales of 100,000 units of this new vehicle in North America,” said Richard Colliver, executive vice president of American Honda Motor Co. in a speech at the Center for Automotive Research Management Briefing Seminars.

The new Honda dedicated hybrid model will be priced lower than the Prius while offering superior performance in the hope of cutting through the market share of Toyota’s popular hybrid. It will also be priced lower than the hybrid gas-electric version of the Civic. Smaller than the Honda Civic, the new five-door car will feature a hybrid powertrain. Colliver further added that Honda wants to make the hybrid affordable to a new generation of buyers and it is not specifically trying to match Prius sales.

The automaker has not yet released fuel economy figures for the new hybrid. It will sell the new Prius competitor in the US, Japan and Europe. A new hybrid version of the Honda Fit has also been announced.

Via International Herald Tribune