Honda Selected as Greenest Automaker for the Third Time By Union of Concerned Scientists

AMERICAN HONDA MOTORS PRESS RELEASE
American Honda Motor Co. was chosen by the Union of Concerned Scientists (UCS) as the 2004 Greenest Automaker in the organization's biennial ranking of car and truck manufacturers' environmental performance. It is the third consecutive honor for Honda in the UCS study. Compared with the UCS's 2002 findings, Honda has increased its lead over other automakers in reducing both greenhouse gas and tailpipe emissions across the full range of its car, truck and minivan lineup.

According to the UCS, Honda extended its lead by building vehicles that produce less than half the smog-forming pollutants of the industry average and 18% less heat-trapping emissions. "Honda is in a class of its own when it comes to producing clean cars and trucks," stated David Friedman, Research Director of UCS's Clean Vehicles Program and lead author of the report. A Honda spokesman responded that "This award reflects our commitment to apply the latest technologies for reduced emissions and improved fuel efficiency across our complete product line. It's a commitment that goes to our core objective of being a company that society wants to exist."

Honda has a long history of environmental leadership including the first hybrid introduced in the U.S., the Honda Insight hybrid, and the first vehicles to meet stricter emissions standards, including the first Low Emissions Vehicle (LEV), the 1996 Honda Civic, Ultra-Low Emissions vehicle (ULEV), the 1998 Honda Accord and Super Ultra-Low Emissions Vehicle (SULEV), the 2000 Honda Accord.

60% of Honda's 2004 model cars, minivans and light trucks meet the U.S. EPA's Tier 2 Bin 5 emissions standard, well in advance of regulatory requirements. On fuel efficiency, Honda vehicles -including two Honda hybrid models (Insight and Civic Hybrid) - captured four of the top five spots in the EPA's 2004 fuel economy rankings. With the introduction of the Accord Hybrid at Honda dealerships nationwide, Honda has become the only carmaker to provide U.S. customers three distinct hybrid models and the first company to offer a V6 engine hybrid.

Honda also leads in the development of alternative fuel technologies including hydrogen fuel cells. The company's FCX fuel cell vehicle is the only Fuel Cell Vehicle (FCV) to earn certification from the EPA and CARB for regular commercial use. There are currently 12 of these zero emissions cars in operation with five different customers in California and New York. The State of New York took delivery of the first of two 2005 Honda FCX fuel cell cars that it will lease from Honda and include in its daily fleet use in Albany. The 2005 FCX is unique because it is powered by Honda's own fuel cell stack (Honda FC Stack) and is the first FCV that has the ability to start and operate in below freezing temperatures, along with improvements gains in range, fuel efficiency and performance over earlier models.

Additionally, Honda has taken a leadership role in developing the hydrogen refueling infrastructure required to support fuel cell vehicles. Honda is operating a unique experimental solar powered hydrogen fuel station at Honda R&D American in Torrance, CA. In the U.S. Northeast Honda will begin testing the second generation of its experimental Home Energy Station (HES II) developed in conjunction with partner, Plug Power, Inc. HES II is a home refueling unit that provides hydrogen from natural gas for vehicle refueling, as well as heat for domestic hot water use and electricity for the home.

Headquartered in Torrance, California, American Honda Motor Co., Inc. was founded in 1959 as the U.S. sales & marketing subsidiary of Honda Motor Co., Ltd. Honda now produces cars, minivans, SUV's and trucks, motorcycles, personal watercraft, all-terrain vehicles, lawn mowers and engines at its nine major U.S. manufacturing operations, using domestic and globally sourced parts. Honda also maintains three major R&D centers in Ohio, Los Angeles and North Carolina that design and develop many of the products sold in America. Currently, Honda employs more than 25,000 associates in the U.S.