Honda bike plant in Rajasthan

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Honda Motorcyle and Scooter India (HMSI) will invest Rs 500 crore (USD 110 million) to build a new plant in the Indian state of Rajasthan, a company executive said.

The new plant will have annual capacity of 600,000 scooters and motorcycles that will take HMSI's total capacity to 2.2 million, said Naresh Kumar Rattan, general manager of HMSI and operating head of sales and marketing.

Honda plans new USD 110 m two-wheeler plant in India

HMSI is a wholly-owned subsidiary of Japanese automaker Honda Motor Co.

HMSI's current facility in Haryana state has peak capacity of 1.6 million scooters and motorcyles, and is close to operating at full capacity.

HMSI will also launch at least six new motorcycles in the Indian market in 2011, the first of which -- the CBR 250R -- will be introduced in April, Rattan told reporters on the sidelines of an event late on Wednesday.

Media reports have said India's Hero group and Honda Motor would soon terminate their joint venture Hero Honda Motors, the Indian market leader in motorcycles, through the sale of Honda's 26% stake to its Indian partner.

Hero Honda price raise for all bikes

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Hero Honda has increased the prices in India in the range of Rs. 500 – Rs. 1500 depending upon its various models in the domestic market. It stated that there has been a considerable increase in input costs constantly and the rise in prices is to partially off-set those costs.

"We have always taken a long-term view on pricing, given its strategic nature. Hence we had consciously held back price increase on most of our products despite the rising input costs and hardening commodity prices," said the company spokesperson. The lowest increase has been made on models in the entry-level segment such as the Splendor, while premium models--the Karizma and the ZMR--saw the highest increase, the executive said. Hero Honda is a joint venture between New Delhi-based Hero Group and Japan's Honda Motor Co.

Meanwhile, the Hero Honda JV split has taken a new turn where the investors have expressed their protest for such a move. The companies agreed upon selling the shares at a cost lesser than the current market price. Hence the investors fear that they may be deeply affected because of this which may thus lead to an increase the royalty amount.

Honda to loss market share in India

Without the 26% stake in Hero Honda, Honda will lose some bragging rights: Namely the claim that it has about 58% of India's nearly nine million-unit-a-year motorbike market.

But in truth, Honda's share of the joint venture's income is only about $120 million a year, Deutsche Securities estimates. That is a fraction of the $6 billion profit Honda is forecasting for its full year through March.

Even the royalties the partnership generates for technology used in the Hero Honda bikes aren't terribly significant because the technology is old. Hero says it paid Honda $90 million last year. Anyway, Honda is likely to keep collecting the royalties for some time.

Critically, for Honda this isn't an exit from India. Rather, it is a reshaping of its strategy toward the market, which once was unapproachable without a local partner.

Honda already makes and sells bikes and scooters under its own brand in India, holding about 14% of the market by units sold, according to J.D. Power & Associates data.

The company has said it plans to increase production next year there by more than one-third, to 2.3 million units a year. Going alone means Honda can keep building on this sales and production base without worrying about tip-toeing around its current partner. Analysts expect Honda to start exporting more from India, including to the West, as it already does from Thailand.

This break-up will be harder on Hero, which could lose access to Honda's technology and brand name. So all eyes are on the price Honda fetches for such a large chunk of the venture. But even if it leaves something on the table—in the sum of a few hundred million dollars—it would be only a minor setback for a company sitting on more than $15 billion in cash.

Honda's guidance on this issue has been less than stellar, but losing the sidecar in India is a smart thing to do.

Honda cars registers impressive sales

Honda Siel Cars India Ltd., (HSCI) leading manufacturer of passenger cars in India was established in December 1995 as a joint venture between Honda Motor Co. Ltd (Japan) and Siel Limited with a commitment to provide Honda’s latest passenger car models and technologies, to the Indian customers.

HSCI’s first state-of-the-art manufacturing unit was set up at Greater Noida, U.P in 1997 with an investment of Rs. 450 crore. The total investment made by the company in India till date is Rs. 1620 crores. At present, the company has a capacity of manufacturing 100,000 cars.

HSCI’s second manufacturing facility is in Tapukara, Rajasthan. This facility is spread over 600 acres and will have an initial production capacity of 60,000 units per annum, with an investment of about Rs 1,000 crore. The first phase of this facility was inaugurated in September 2008.

The company’s product range includes Honda Jazz, Honda City, Honda Civic and Honda Accord which are produced at the Greater Noida facility with an indigenization level of 77%, 76%, 74% and 28% respectively. The CR-V is imported from Japan as Completely Built Units.

Honda Siel Cars India has a strong sales and distribution network spread across the country. The network includes 120 facilities in 71 cities. HSCI dealerships are based on the “3S Facility” (Sales, Service, Spares) format, offering complete range of services to its customers.

Honda Jazz is the company’s first offering in the premium compact car segment. The Jazz is a segment-defining car that has won accolades and adoration all over the world. Honda's all-new Third Generation Honda City was launched in September 2008. It comes with a completely new design, new engine, spacious cabin and equipped with various active and passive safety features. The new Honda City achieved milestone sales with 50,000 units sold within one year of its launch.

HSCI launched the1.8 S Civic in India in July 2006. The company launched the Sportier and More Aggressive New Honda Civic in September 2009. Honda launched a refreshed version of the 3rd generation CR-V in November 2009.

Honda’s models are strongly associated with advanced design and technology, apart from its established qualities of durability, reliability and fuel-efficiency.

The company operates under the stringent standards of ISO 9001 for quality management and ISO 14001 for environment management.

Honda launches Fit electric

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Honda Fit EV
The all-new Fit EV Concept electric vehicle made its world debut at the Los Angeles Auto Show and strongly suggests the direction and styling of an upcoming production Fit EV all-electric vehicle, which will be introduced to the U.S. and Japan in 2012. The Fit EV is designed to meet the daily driving needs of the average metropolitan commuter. When the Fit EV is introduced, it will feature:

Same 5-passenger packaging found in the popular Fit hatchback.
The Fit EV will achieve an estimated 100-mile driving range per charge using the US EPA LA4 city cycle (70 miles when applying EPA’s adjustment factor).
Lithium-ion battery.
High-density coaxial electric motor derived from the FCX Clarity.
3-mode E-Drive system with Econ, Normal and Sport modes to maximize efficiency or improve acceleration.
Battery fully recharged in less than 12 hours with 120-volt outlet and fully recharged in less than 6 hours with 240-volt outlet.
Standard connectivity system provides driver connectivity to the Fit EV from smartphone and personal computer or the Honda-exclusive interactive remote.
Connectivity system allows the driver to: check state of charge, initiate charging and remotely activate the air conditioning.
Mobile application and website offer additional features: set charging schedule to optimize utility rates, send charging alerts and notifications, locate nearest charging station, and provide 24-hour roadside assistance connectivity.
Standard Honda Satellite Linked Navigation System™ with charging station locator capability.
Plug-In Hybrid
The Honda plug-in hybrid platform was unveiled for the first time at the Los Angeles Auto Show. A plug-in hybrid sedan will be introduced to the U.S. and Japan in 2012. The plug-in hybrid is designed to be compatible with daily driving habits, allowing for short, frequent trips in all-electric mode while providing long-distance, fuel-efficient driving capability when needed.
The platform features:

Next-generation two-motor Honda hybrid system.
Three different driving modes to maximize efficiency: all-electric, gasoline-electric and engine direct drive.
For all-electric driving, the vehicle uses a 6kWh lithium-ion battery and a 120 kW motor.
All-electric range of 10-15 miles with top speed of 62 mph.
Battery fully recharged in 2- 2.5 hours using 120-volt outlet, 1-1.5 hours using 240-volt outlet.
Honda Advanced Technology Demonstration Program
Honda will launch an Advanced Technology Demonstration Program this year to provide real-world testing of its new vehicles. Participants include: Stanford University, City of Torrance, Calif. and Google, Inc.
In addition to real-world testing, the three participants will focus on the following issues:

Stanford University: behavioral and usability research surrounding the adoption of electric vehicles. Additional research will be conducted on transportation systems and battery electric sustainability. Honda will be working with the Center for Automotive Research at Stanford (CARS).
City of Torrance: charging infrastructure development, public education and awareness about electric vehicles as well as promoting sustainable community initiatives. Honda will be working with several city departments, including the Community Development department and Public Works office, along with the Economic Development office.
Google, Inc: collaboration through Google’s RechargeIT initiative to evaluate the benefits of plug-in vehicles and accelerate their adoption. The vehicle will be tested through the Gfleet, Google’s employee car-sharing service. The partnership will involve analysis of vehicle usage including CO2 reduction, energy consumption on a miles/kWh basis and overall energy cost.
Honda Electric Mobility Network and Energy Management
Together with the FCX Clarity fuel cell electric vehicle, the Fit EV and the future plug-in hybrid vehicle will be a part of the company’s new comprehensive approach to reducing CO2 emissions. Honda’s approach includes the following initiatives:

Honda Electric Mobility Network: Introducing products equipped with the latest in advanced environmental technologies that meet the daily driving needs of customers.
Energy production: Manufacturing thin-film solar panels and developing innovative ways to produce and distribute energy using sustainable methods.
Energy management: Development of home energy management systems that utilize micro-cogeneration technology and solar cell modules.

Honda CBR250R price india

The design and aesthetics of the bike is said to be inspired by the Honda VFR 1200F but the CBR 250 R looks a bit bigger motorcycle. Disc brakes coupled with thick tyres give that truly sports bike look to the machine. Honda CBR 250 R will ride on Continental tyres in India.

Price of Honda CBR250R in India

Price is probably the biggest surprise- yes, you guessed it right! If sources at Honda are to be believed, Honda CBR 250 R will be priced (ex-showroom) at below Rs 1.5 lakh  (although the exact figure is yet to be announced). The reason for this highly competitive pricing is the fact that the super bike will be manufactured in India with certain components being imported from Thailand.

Honda to launch CBR250R in 2011

Honda Motor Company, the biggest manufacturer of two-wheelers in the world, is expected to launch its much-awaited performance sports motorcycle CBR250R in India at Rs 1.5 lakh (ex-showroom, Delhi) in April.

Honda Motorcycle and Scooter India (HMSI), the country’s fourth largest bike maker and a 100 per cent subsidiary of Honda, Japan, will assemble the bike at its Manesar, Haryana unit after importing parts of the bike from Asian countries.

With a likely on-road price of about Rs 1.8 lakh, the CBR250R will be sold at nearly half the price of Kawasaki Ninja 250 which carries an on-road price tag of about Rs 3.01 lakh and sold through select outlets of Bajaj Auto.

“The bike will be priced at Rs 1.5 lakh (ex-showroom) in Delhi and a little more than that in Mumbai. It should hit showrooms in April,” said a company executive.

Bajaj recently stated that 1,000 units of the Ninja 250 have been sold since its launch in October last year.

Honda CBR to be priced Rs1.5 lakhs

 

Honda Motor Company, the biggest manufacturer of two-wheelers in the world, is expected to launch its much-awaited performance sports motorcycle CBR250R in India at Rs 1.5 lakh (ex-showroom, Delhi) in April.

Honda Motorcycle and Scooter India (HMSI), the country’s fourth largest bike maker and a 100 per cent subsidiary of Honda, Japan, will assemble the bike at its Manesar, Haryana unit after importing parts of the bike from Asian countries.

 
With a likely on-road price of about Rs 1.8 lakh, the CBR250R will be sold at nearly half the price of Kawasaki Ninja 250 which carries an on-road price tag of about Rs 3.01 lakh and sold through select outlets of Bajaj Auto.

“The bike will be priced at Rs 1.5 lakh (ex-showroom) in Delhi and a little more than that in Mumbai. It should hit showrooms in April,” said a company executive.

Bajaj recently stated that 1,000 units of the Ninja 250 have been sold since its launch in October last year

Honda CBR250R specifications

Honda will produce the new CBR250R road sports model in Thailand and launch sales in November. This CBR250R will have the largest engine displacement of any vehicle produced by Thai Honda Manufacturing Co., Ltd. (Thai Honda), Honda’s motorcycle production company in Thailand, and will be its first full-fledged road sports model. Following in the footsteps of last year’s PCX 125cc scooter produced and sold by Thai Honda, the CBR250R will be launched as a global model for export to a wide range of countries such as the ASEAN countries, Japan, Europe, North America, and Australia. In Japan, the CBR250R is scheduled to begin sales in the spring of 2011.

 

R&D for the CBR250R was advanced in both Japan and Thailand starting with the development phase. To satisfy a wide variety of customer tastes from around the world, Honda set up the phrase the “Sport Quarter for One World, CBR250R” as the development concept with the aim in mind of creating a model that allows riders of all kinds, from beginners to experienced riders, to feel the fun of maneuvering a motorcycle.

Thai Honda, the production base for this model, began motorcycle production in 1967 and first started to export to Japan in 1988 with the Cub 100EX. It has produced over 18 million motorcycles to date (as of the end of June 2010) and has exported motorcycles to numerous regions such as Europe as well as its natural base in Asia. Using production engineering and know-how contributed by Kumamoto Factory, the lead plant for motorcycle production, Thai Honda is striving further to enhance its structure for the supply of high-quality products.

Honda Motorcycle and Scooter India (Pvt.) Ltd. will also start production of the CBR250R next spring and extend sales from India to South America. Honda will also offer the CBR250R at a more affordable price in the diversified Indian motorcycle market by effectively carrying out global procurement of parts and materials in the same way as Thai Honda.

The CBR250R is equipped with a newly-developed liquid-cooled 250cc 4-stroke 4-valve single-cylinder DOHC engine that is easy to handle. High environmental performance that meets Euro 3 emission standards and Thailand's sixth emission standards was realized by adopting an electronically controlled fuel injection system (PGM-FI*1) as well as an O2 sensor and taking advantage of the combined effect with a catalyzer fitted inside the exhaust pipe.

The full-cowl body presents a highly advanced design full of functional beauty. The light and compact frame, made of a highly-rigid diamond shape in a truss structure, offers agile handling and steady maneuverability as a sports model, while the cowl design enables optimal control of the wind toward the engine or the rider.

In the area of safety technology, the CBR250R's specifications incorporate Combined ABS, a world first*2 for a 250cc-class road sports model into a designated type. The Combined ABS makes vehicle movements more stable during braking by bringing together a Combined Brake System (CBS, a front- and rear-wheel interlocking braking system) and an Anti-lock Brake System (ABS, a braking system that prevents wheel lock during sudden braking or under unfavorable conditions).