Honda has made an announcement concerning its intention to introduce a hybrid model of Odyssey. The new version has the possibility of cutting the rate of fuel consumption by fifty percent, that is, from 31 to about 62 mpg. The Japanese automaker said the same thing to Australian journalists. The actual figures used by the automaker and journalists were 3.8 liters per kilometer for a hybrid car in comparison to 7.6 liters per kilometer for non-hybrid car.

The mentioned figures compute to 31 miles per gallon for the normal Odyssey compared to 62 miles per gallon for the hybrid version. It is hoped that the new hybrid will be extremely fuel-efficient and would benefit long distance drivers. The 2014 Odyssey in the United States has been rated to cover about 22 miles per gallon. The new hybrid would therefore be huge even if a Hybrid Odyssey measured into the high 30s or even the low 40s.

Currently, the hybridization process is not yet under development. Only the proposals have been forwarded for the Japanese market. Unlike Estima and Toyota hybrids that were launched in Michigan last summer, Odyssey is both a Japanese and United States model. Therefore, people who are in dire need of a big and efficient hybrid model should hope for the success of the proposed model. The news of the Odyssey hybrid came following a mention of a fifth generation Odyssey by journalists.

Japan has a Toyota Tarago, whose hybrid version is available. The country also has a car known as Toyota Alphard. Both vehicles have hybrid versions. The hybrid versions were introduced following the high demand and increasing need for fuel-efficient and greener cars. Some of the issues that need to be addressed when introducing new hybrid car versions include finding an appropriate place for storing the hybrid battery. The place should not hurt weight distribution and should also not impede space.

The Honda powertrain leader of the project, Takashi Shinchi said that it is essential to consider all the options of where the battery could be placed. He also emphasized the need to consider weight distribution. In this case, it would be considered whether the battery would be best positioned in the rear or forward area. All factors will be kept in mind when picking the most suitable position to place the battery.

According to Chris Martin, Honda spokesman, Honda is looking at the potential for hybridizing larger vehicles. Some of the larger hybrids in the United States include Toyota’s Highlander and Nissan’s Pathfinder. Larger hybrids for Honda are not available yet.