SOLAR TODAY Blog

Honda on Tuesday announced that the new entry-level Insight hybrid, a five-passenger hatchback, will be available for sale in Europe on Earth Day, April 22, 2009. American dealers will have the car shortly thereafter.

Honda expects to offer a base price of about $18,000, and plans to sell at least 200,000 units in the first year, half of them in America. The European version will claim 60 miles per gallon, thanks to a small electric-boosted engine and a nickel metal-hydride battery pack under the trunk.

We reported on the new car, said to be the world’s cheapest hybrid, back in May.