"The Honda Insight will provide American consumers with their first look at one of tomorrow's advanced automotive powerplants," said Tom Elliott, executive vice president of American Honda Motor Co. "The Insight represents Honda's commitment to developing products that meet customer expectations for quality, comfort and driving enjoyment, while responding to society's need for cleaner and more fuel-efficient vehicles."

Debuting as a year 2000 model, the Honda Insight is a sporty two-seater coupe developed exclusively as a gasoline-electric hybrid vehicle. Dubbed the Honda VV in its concept stage, the 2000 Honda Insight features Honda's new efficient and lightweight IMA™ hybrid system.

At the heart of the system is the world's lightest 1.0 liter, 3-cylinder gasoline engine. The engine uses advanced lean-burn technology, low-friction design and lightweight materials such as aluminum, magnesium and plastic in combination with a new lean burn-compatible NOx catalyst to achieve a new level of efficiency and low emissions in gasoline engine technology. The electric component of the IMA™ system consists of an ultra-thin (60mm) DC-brushless motor, a 144-volt Nickel-Metal Hydride Battery pack and an advanced electronic Power Control Unit (PCU). Unlike a dedicated electric vehicle, Insight does not require an outside source of electric power. The electric motor draws power from the batteries to boost engine performance to the level of a 1.5 liter gasoline engine and also acts as a generator during braking to recharge the vehicle's batteries. Power management is provided by the system's advanced Power Control Unit.

A pioneer in the design of aluminum car bodies with its Acura NSX sports car — the world's first mass-produced aluminum-bodied vehicle — Honda has employed its extensive experience to create a new type of lightweight aluminum body that offers a high level of body rigidity and advanced safety performance. This unique "hybrid" aluminum chassis uses a combination of extruded, stamped and die-cast aluminum components to minimize weight while optimizing rigidity and safety. Body weight is 40 percent less than a comparable steel body.

Most of the vehicle's body panels are aluminum, which are lighter yet more rigid than traditional steel panels. Front fenders and rear fender skirts are made of recyclable plastic. Other weight-saving features include aluminum-alloy wheels, a magnesium oil pan and plastic head cover.

In keeping with its philosophy of making environmental technology broadly accessible to consumers, Honda will price the Insight at less than $20,000 with a full complement of standard comfort and convenience features including anti-lock brakes, electric power steering, dual airbags, AM/FM stereo cassette, power windows and mirrors, power door locks with keyless entry, and a Theft-Deterrent Immobilizer System. A fully digital instrument panel delivers information, such as battery status, charging condition and fuel-economy performance at the touch of a button.

The 2000 Honda Insight is the culmination of 50 years of Honda research into lighter, more efficient and cleaner burning vehicle technologies, and is the latest example of Honda's commitment to bringing new environmental technologies to market wherever feasible.

This year alone, two out of every three Hondas sold in the U.S. — more than 650,000 vehicles — will be equipped with advanced low-emissions technology. Honda's commitment to developing cleaner running vehicles dates back to the mid-70s when the company introduced its Civic CVCC, the first vehicle to meet federal clean air standards using regular unleaded gasoline and without the use of a catalytic converter.

The CUCV-IIs are the second generation of Chevrolet full-size pickups and utilities specifically modified for military use as tactical support vehicles by military organizations throughout the world. The CUCV family of vehicles includes cargo/troop carriers, shelter carriers, ambulances and command and control vehicles. CUCVs are now in use and marketed in the U.S., Africa, Europe, Latin America and the Middle East. From 1983-1986, General Motors (NYSE: GM) supplied to the U.S. Department of Defense over 70,000 first generation CUCVs, a majority of which are still in military inventories worldwide.

CUCVs are sold and distributed by the Special Vehicles Operation (SVO) of GM's International Product Center (IPC). SVO provides enhanced mobility vehicles tailored to special vehicle applications for commercial and government customers domestically and overseas. These vehicles are supported worldwide through GM's vast network of dealers and strategic partners. The IPC is located at GM's Global Headquarters at the Renaissance Center in Detroit.

TMC has long promoted responses to environmental problems, considering such efforts to be among its most important management issues. It has been working to reduce waste materials at its vehicle production plants and housing works for more than 25 years, and since 1990, has accelerated its waste-reduction 5R Program (*2).

In recent years, landfill waste has attracted much social attention, particularly in terms of final disposal sites and related problems. Through recycling and the reduction of waste materials where they are generated, TMC has achieved a reduction of roughly 90% in less than 10 years: from 81,100 tons in 1990 to 8,200 tons in 1998.

Such an achievement gives the company confidence it can attain its specified goal of ultimately Zero Landfill Waste in 2003. To this end, a project team at Tsutsumi Plant, which manufactures the Camry and Lexus ES300, among other passenger car models, was organized in fiscal 1998. Headed by the plant's general manager, the team consists of about 30 employees, all with many years of experience in waste reduction efforts at the plant. The team says it will achieve the goal of Zero Landfill Waste through activities such as: recycling with strict sorting of recovered materials, effective use of waste materials in product development, and minimizing waste materials at locations where they initially occur.

TMC will eventually apply its Tsutsumi Plant waste-reducing endeavors to all other TMC plants. By doing so, we will not only make effective use of natural resources, but will also support the economy of such waste reduction activities.

Notes:

*1 "Zero Landfill Waste": The term "landfill waste" here refers to incombustible substances in general, including heat-insulating materials, fire-resistant materials, sludge from chemical treatment (e.g., residues from priming for coating), and residue from the cleaning of floor grooves. In TMC terminology, achieving "zero waste" means a reduction of 95% or more as compared with the fiscal 1995 level, as there are still materials that present technological difficulties in terms of recycling.

*2 "5R Program": This program centers on activities to reduce waste materials and accelerate recycling efforts in all phases of vehicle planning, development, design, production, and disposal. The "5Rs" are: Refine, Reduce, Reuse, Recycle, and Retrieve (Energy).