The move is being seen as Honda's attempt to strengthen its position against Toyota in the low-emission car race. If launched, the hybrid Fit will be the fourth hybrid car from Honda by 2015.
The car maker's original plans for its hybrid fleet reportedly include the introduction of a dedicated hybrid vehicle in 2009, to challenge the Toyota Prius. Honda is likely to follow this by a sporty hybrid and a redesigned Civic hybrid.
"The Fit has great fuel efficiency to begin with, and if you put in a hybrid, it's going to get even better. So with crude oil prices going up this much, I think a Fit hybrid is now starting to make sense," Takeo Fukui, president of Honda Motor, was quoted as saying.
The car maker's original plans for its hybrid fleet reportedly include the introduction of a dedicated hybrid vehicle in 2009, to challenge the Toyota Prius. Honda is likely to follow this by a sporty hybrid and a redesigned Civic hybrid.
"The Fit has great fuel efficiency to begin with, and if you put in a hybrid, it's going to get even better. So with crude oil prices going up this much, I think a Fit hybrid is now starting to make sense," Takeo Fukui, president of Honda Motor, was quoted as saying.
However, in order for the planned hybrid to attract consumer attention, the price difference between the hybrid Fit and regular Fit will have to be less than JPY200,000.
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