Automobiles Honda

Detroit s electric cars have a shaky history since the market can change rapidly in the automobile industry, which is dependent on long lead times for new models. In 1975, when memories of the oil embargo were fresh, Detroit s cars were still growing in size, but it was a record sales year for the Volkswagen Beetle and sales of Toyotas and Hondas reached 100,000 that year. GM s profits dropped 35% and the company had to temporarily close 15 of its 22 assembly plants. 

Hybrid gasoline-electric automobiles made by Toyota and Honda are selling well in the U.S. 

Michael Lawrence Paul Leiby Lewison Lem Buford Lewis Amy Lilly Tim Lipman Alan Lloyd Mike Love Jeffra Lyczko Jack Faucett Industries Cak Ridge National Laboratory California State Automobile Association ExxonMobil Corporation American Honda UC Davis, UC Berkeley California Air Resources Board Toyota Motor Sales, U.S.A. DaimlerChrysler Society Technology Research Center... 

Many see hybrid vehicles as a bridge to a new type of transportation. Toyota and Honda have been selling tens of thousands of cars that have small gas engines and batteries. American automobile companies are following their lead. 

An assembly structure is one in which products from separate suppliers or plants are combined to form subassemblies, which in turn are combined to form the final assembly. Figure 2.1 shows a sample assembly supply chain. Automobile industry manufacturers, such as Toyota, Honda, and Ford, all use tiered purchasing arrangements, in which subassemblies from one set of suppliers are combined at the next level until the final car assembly, thus generating an assembly structure of suppliers. In such structures, the complete kit of parts from all suppliers is necessary to complete assembly. Thus, a key task for the operation of an assembly structure is coordinating the deliveries from all suppliers to produce a unit of a finished product. 

Several automobile companies including, most prominently, GM, DaimlerChrysler, and Honda, have invested hundreds of millions of dollars in fuel cell research, development, and commercialization. Each of these companies has a fuel cell prototype car currently being tested in a demonstration program. However, due to their high cost and other technical problems, it is unlikely that there will be any major market for mobile fuel cells within the next 10 to 15 years. 

In Figure 17.3, one or more competencies support a core product. These core products are the heart of many products that go to market. The core products feed the end product offerings of various businesses. So Honda s core products, engines and power trains, produce multiple motorized products, including automobiles, all-terrain vehicles, outboard motors, personal watercraft, generators, and engines. The businesses market and sell end products that have their roots as core products based on core competencies. 

Globalization provides companies with opportunities to enter new markets, find better suppliers and take advantage of cheaper labor available in other countries. Inherent in global supply chains is the risk due to disruptions. This was clearly demonstrated by the earthquake, tsunami and the nuclear disaster in Japan in March 2011. Since Japan was a key supplier of electronic components, that go into the production of automobiles, computers, aircrafts and cell phones, companies such as Toyota, Honda, Boeing, GM, Sony, and Apple had to slow down or shut down their factories due to shortage of parts. 

Table 6 Descriptive statistics of automobile industry, 2006-2013 Renault, Hyundai, Peugeot, Toyota, Honda, Nissan, GM, and 5 others...

Several types of solids that absorb hydrogen to form hydrides are being studied for use in hydrogen-powered vehicles. The most likely use of hydrogen in automobiles will be to power fuel cells. Ford, Honda, and Toyota are aU experimenting with cars powered by hydrogen fuel cells. 

The Honda FCX Clarity, a hydrogen-powered, fuel-cell automobile. The only emission is water. 

Sumitomo Dow Ltd. entered polymer alloys business in 1984, when Honda Motor Co., Ltd. adopted Techniace TC (PC/ABS alloy) for an exterior body panel of CR-X model. Broad knowledge and know-how regarding structure and technology of ABS production contributed to the improvement of PC/ABS alloy. Following the successful development of PC/ABS alloy, Techniace such as PBT/ABS, ABS/Nylon, and TPU/ABS were added to the line of alloys and found applications in automobiles, OA equipments, electrical and electronics, and appliances. 

Toyota Motor Corp. and Honda Motor Co. announced they would advance their initial vehicle introduction plans for fuel cell vehicles to late in 2002 from 2003. Honda achieved a significant milestone for its product launch by receiving both CARB and EPA certification of its zero emission FCX-V4 automobile. This was the first vehicle to receive such certification. Ballard s fuel cell powered this Honda vehicle. 

All major automobile manufacturers either are developing or have developed fuel cell prototype vehicles. In 2007, Honda introduced its next-generation PCX fuel cell vehicle. The PCX runs on compressed hydrogen gas and emits only water. It has a range of 270 miles and a top speed of 100 miles per hour, and seats four comfortably. Honda made the PCX available for lease on a limited basis beginning in 2008. 

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