GREENSBURG, Ind. (May 13, 2009) – Honda Manufacturing of Indiana, LLC (HMIN) today began production of the environmentally responsible, natural gas-powered Civic GX, at its plant in Greensburg, Indiana. HMIN associate Alonzo Miles of Indianapolis drove the first Civic GX off the line in a special ceremony at the plant.

The Civic GX has received top environmental awards including the American Council for Energy-Efficient Economy’s “America’s Greenest Car” award for five consecutive years. Honda has a long history of environmental leadership, including the introduction of America’s first mass-produced hybrid, the Honda Insight, and the first vehicle to meet California’s low emission vehicle standards well in advance of regulatory requirements as well as the first government-certified fuel cell electric vehicle.

The Civic GX is the only natural gas vehicle built by a major automaker in the U.S. First introduced in 1998, the Civic GX is the cleanest internal combustion vehicle certified by the EPA – 90% cleaner than the average gasoline-powered car on the road today. As a result, the GX is certified by the EPA as an Inherently Low Emissions Vehicle (ILEV).

It is the only natural gas powered passenger car available for sale in all 50 states, and is eligible for a $4,000 federal tax credit as a qualified alternative fuel vehicle.

It is powered by a 113-hp, 1.8-Liter, 16-valve, SOHC i-VTEC® 4-cylinder engine built at Honda’s engine plant in Anna, Ohio, and it is designed with a higher compression ratio to maximize performance from natural gas fuel. The Civic GX was formerly produced at Honda’s East Liberty, Ohio plant and has ten years of proven performance as a natural gas powered vehicle. It has an average range of more than 220 miles, and has outstanding fuel economy at 24 MPG (city) and 36 MPG (highway).

Honda Manufacturing of Indiana began Civic GX production just seven months after starting mass production of the fuel-efficient, 4-cylinder Honda Civic sedan at its new plant in Greensburg, Indiana. The $550 million plant currently employs approximately 1,000 associates and is designed as a zero waste-to-landfill facility.

Assembling the Civic GX brings flexibility and new capabilities at the plant. HMIN is a comprehensive production facility that includes metal stamping, plastic injection molding, subassembly, and final assembly. Producing the GX on the same assembly line with other vehicles required the addition of unique production processes, including fuel tank sub-assembly and installation, and a fueling center for compressed natural gas.

“We are excited about producing the environmentally responsible Civic GX, the latest production milestone in our short history here in Indiana,” said HMIN president Yuzo Uenohara. “We applaud the efforts of our Indiana associates who are dedicated to building the very best Honda products for all of our North American customers, with customer satisfaction as our top goal.”

The Honda Civic sedan being built in Indiana features the fuel-efficient 140-hp, 1.8-liter, 16-valve SOHC i-VTEC® 4-cylinder gasoline engine also produced by Honda associates in Anna, Ohio. As in all new 2009 model Honda and Acura automobiles, the engine meets or exceeds U.S. EPA Tier 2 Bin 5 emissions standards. The Civic sedan also qualifies as an Ultra-Low Emission Vehicle (AT-PZEV) as rated by the California Air Resources Board (CARB).

Honda is celebrating its 50th anniversary in America. It began operations in the U.S. in 1959 with the establishment of American Honda Motor Co., Inc., Honda’s first overseas subsidiary. Honda started U.S. production in Ohio in 1979, and began U.S. automobile production in 1982 at its Marysville, Ohio, auto plant.

The company has invested more than $12.2 billion in its North America operations, including 16 major manufacturing facilities employing more than 35,000 associates. Honda plants have the capacity to produce more than 2 million products annually, including Honda and Acura automobiles as well as motorcycles, all-terrain vehicles, personal watercraft, lawn mowers, general-purpose engines, and other power equipment products.


Buck