Honda to launch diesel Odyssey, Acura MDX in US

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Honda Motor Co, which released its first diesel engine two years ago, plans to introduce diesel versions of its Odyssey minivan and Acura MDX sport-utility vehicle in the US by 2009 as demand rises for fuel-efficient vehicles.

Honda is developing a four-cylinder diesel engine which will meet emission standards set by the US Environmental Protection Agency. The carmaker also plans to sell vehicles with the diesel engine in Japan by 2009, said president Takeo Fukui in an interview on Tuesday.

Honda, one of the first automakers to produce gasoline-electric hybrids and fuel cell vehicles, had been working on altering diesel engines it sells in Europe to meet US environmental regulations. The new diesel engine will be cleaner than those offered by General Motors Corp, Ford Motor Co and Daimler Chrysler AG’s Chrysler unit.

‘‘We think Honda’s light trucks, such as the Odyssey and the MDX, will be more fuel efficient with diesels,’’ Mr Fukui said adding, “We don’t have any plans to put hybrid systems in light trucks, such as the Odyssey and MDX in the US.’’ Mr Fukui said the four-cylinder engine can be installed in vehicles by 2009. Bloomberg

Diesel engines will use less fuel than hybrid systems for light trucks driven longer distances, Fukui said. Honda is developing a V6 diesel engine, mainly for the US market. If diesel engines in light trucks prove popular, the company may also use them in cars.

US automakers sell trucks that run on diesel, which emits less carbon dioxide than gasoline. Particulate matter or soot produced by engines running on high-sulfur diesel aggravates asthma and other breathing problems and creates more smog, according to the EPA.

Nissan Motor Co, Japan’s second-largest carmaker, is also considering diesel vehicles for the US market. The carmaker may put diesel engines in U.S. pickup trucks and sport-utility vehicles, chief executive officer Carlos Ghosn said in November.

Honda will also introduce a new five-seat gasoline-electric car by 2009, aiming to sell 200,000 units a year, half of them in North America. The U.S. is the world’s biggest market for fuel-saving hybrids, which are powered by a combination of a gasoline engine, batteries and brakes that capture energy from stopping.

‘‘We will use a completely new platform for this vehicle, but if we can sell 200,000 units a year, it will pay off the cost,’’ Fukui said.