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Honda is gearing up for the unveil of its all new Insight at the upcoming North American International Auto Show that will take place in January. The unveil will be of a prototype vehicle that will serve as a precursor to the actual production version, slated for launch later next year.

Unlike its predecessor, the new Insight will feature a sedan body-style and be positioned above the Civic as a refined family car. Sporting a similar silhouette to the current generation Civic, the 2019 Insight inherits the rather handsome and front grille of the Accord but with sleeker contours.

As for the rear, the automaker has chosen a less cluttered approach to the design, fitting angular LED taillights that slightly resemble those from a certain German manufacturer. That said, the entire design, is a step in the right direction. Where the second generation Insight resembled a MPV, the new one forgoes that look for a more business-like one.

“With its sophisticated styling, dynamic stance, ample interior space and best-in-class performance, the all-new Insight embodies Honda’s approach to creating electrified vehicles without the typical tradeoffs,” said, Henio Arcangeli, Jr., senior vice president of Automobile Sales and general manager of the Honda Division, American Honda Motor Co., Inc.

“You won’t have to be an electrification advocate to appreciate the new Insight – it’s a great car in its own right, independent of what’s happening under the hood,” he later added.

Honda says that the new Insight will come with premium features and the performance that will win over the favour of many. Its two-motor hybrid powertrain will be able to provide all the benefits of a hybrid but none of the compromises.

Cars bound for the North American market will be built at Honda’s Greensburg, Indiana plant, alongside Civic and CR-V. This latest addition to the family is part of the Japanese automaker’s plan, that by 2030, two-thirds of its products will consist of only electrified vehicles.

Honda has published a new video featuring one of its employees, Kevin Kuhn, a thrill seeker who by nature, loves the thrills that are associated with skydiving. Its part of the automaker’s What Makes a Honda is Who Makes a Honda video series, where each episode depicts Honda’s ideals in its employees and in their work ethic.

It focuses on on those who live out the company’s commitment to The Power of Dreams, which is Honda’s global theme that encourages staff to conceive ideas that will create new value for customers and society.

Kuhn’s desire to challenge himself in several aspects of his life lead him to the daring challenge of jumping out of an airplane unaided and negotiating his way via parachute to the designated landing spot.

As the new model project leader in the Plastics department at Honda Manufacturing of Indiana (HMIN), he leads the team that is responsible for making plastic injected molded parts including bumpers and instrument panels.

According to Honda, Kuhn played a key role in the construction of plastic panels that went into the 2017 CR-V and 2016 Civic at HMIN production plant. Adding to this, he prefers to work together with other departments to maximize efficiency of manufacturing new vehicles.

Speaking of his eccentric hobby, Kuhn said, “Skydiving is a very freeing experience, there’s really nothing to be afraid of. I have learned a lot by taking risks, and how do we challenge ourselves to continue to make that better cars? With a challenging spirit, anything’s possible.”

Kuhn learned to skydive about seven years ago and has completed more than 380 jumps since then. He considers it a liberating exercise and is one that has taught him several life lessons that he applies to his day job.

Honda is said to be one of the most valuable brands in the world according to market research done by Interband in its latest ‘Best Global Brands’ study. The Japanese automaker was able to move up the ranking and is now considered the 20th most valuable brand globally.

Interbrand estimates Honda’s financial value to be at $22.696 billion. This includes its entire business divisions including the aviation sector, which is starting to witness a great deal of interest pertaining to its newly launched aircraft.

“The power of the Honda brand highlights our influential position in the market,” said Philip Ross, Senior Vice President of Honda Motor Europe. “There’s diverse range of new products, from the zero-emissions Clarity Fuel Cell to the award-winning Honda Civic Type R.”

“These vehicles showcase the significance of advanced technology to the Honda brand. The recently-announced ‘Electric Vision’ will fast-track a major brand advancement, bringing to market a host of new electrified vehicles from 2018,” he later added.

The recognition that the automaker received from Interbrand is a correlation with several landmark achievements for the company in 2016 as well as recent company announcements. Honda has revealed its business plans for the near future, which is considered a drastic shift from what we are used to expecting from the brand.

At the recent Frankfurt Motorshow, Honda revealed that electrified technology will be at the core of every new car model launched in Europe. The announcement was made by Honda Motor Company CEO, Takahiro Hachigo after the unveiling of the Urban EV Concept vehicle.

This proves that Honda is convinced that electric mobility is the future and are readying plans to offer more electrified vehicles to customers in the coming years. The Urban EV Concept will eventually pave the way for the launch of a new Honda electric car, which is slated for production in 2019.

At a global level, Honda plans on having electrified technology powering at least two thirds of its cars by 2030. Though these plans aren’t as drastic as those put forth by Volvo, but they too, spell the end of the automaker’s dependence on fossil fuel powered cars in the not so distant future.

Besides its automotive sector, the newly launched HondaJet light aircraft set a new Miami-Panama speed record that was recognized by the National Aeronautical Association. It also celebrated global deliveries that surpassed that of other jets in its class.

Honda’s expertise in robotics that include its spectacular creation, Asimo, the automaker has come up with an ingenious Miimo lawnmower. It is capable of recharging itself at an electric docking station when its running low on power and can intelligently follow the layout of any garden, quietly while cutting the grass.

All this combined, is the reason why Honda has been ranked this high on the list and should it may be able to move even closer to the top once it realizes the true potential of EV power.

Honda Motor Co., Ltd. and Hitachi Automotive Systems, Ltd. have announced the establishment of a joint venture company that will develop and manufacture electric motors for vehicles. The company will use Hitachi Automotive Systems’ premises in Hitachinaka-shi, Ibaraki Prefecture.

Prior to the establishment of the company, both companies were engaged in various discussions based on a Memorandum of Understanding that was signed February 3rd. It will receive a financial grant from Ibaraki Prefecture as it has been recognized as a relevant project that “promotes the establishment of corporate head office functions” within the prefecture.

This joint venture will allow Honda better access to electric motor technology as well as give the company a head start at being a mass producer of EV motors. The advent of practical electric vehicles such as the Nissan Leaf and Tesla Model S has managed to convince many that EV vehicles can be a practical mode of transportation.

Unlike the old days, newer ones are able to travel longer before needing to be recharged and are fitted with batteries that last over time. Automakers have also increased the warranty period on these batteries as well as initiated programmes that make it easier for owners to have their tired batteries replaced at a fraction of the actual costs.

Mass production of electrical components such as battery packs and motors, should drive down costs of buying and owning an EV, which in turn will reduce our reliance on fossil fuels. Honda should benefit from this quiet a bit, especially if it manages to convince large automakers to buy Honda motors rather than build their own from scratch.

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