The engines of hybrid vehicles are made with rare-earth metals and it's projected that the price of these metals will increase by 14% every year; our favorite Japanese automaker knows this is bad for everyone, so they've decided to use a different metal to keep costs down for us all.
The new metal is called neodymium - a lighter material - and it will reduce both the weight of the engines as well as the cost of producing them. This new technology is planned to be used in a new vehicle called the Honda Freed, which is a new hybrid minivan that will be released in the automaker's home country of Japan later this year. Here's hoping the process is successful!
In the meantime, we'll keep you updated on the Freed and if it has plans for western shores. If you're interested in what our current lineup of new Honda models has to offer, come on down to our Colma, CA dealership at your earliest opportunity. Our friendly Honda of Serramonte staff would love nothing more than to assist you in finding the ride of your dreams.
