At an expense of just $4.2 million and the addition of only 34 workers, Honda Motor Co. will introduce the CR-V Hybrid into U.S. production at its plant in Greensburg, Ind.
Adding the electrified version of the compact crossover to U.S. showrooms early next year is part of a freshening of the 2020 CR-V, the company said last week.
The update will include equipment and engine improvements to bring the base LX model more in line with higher CR-V trims.
Pricing for 2020 models was not announced.
"In addition to the new hybrid-electric variant, major upgrades to the 2020 CR-V include bolder front and rear styling, redesigned wheels and standard Honda Sensing safety and driver-assisted technology," Honda said in a statement. The safety features had been unavailable on the base trim, Honda said.
The base gasoline version of the CR-V also now gets the same turbocharged four-cylinder engine as the higher trims. Previously, the base model received a nonturbo engine with lower performance and fuel economy. The gasoline versions of the 2020 CR-V go on sale in the fall.
The CR-V Hybrid went on sale in Europe this year to mostly positive reviews. It uses the two-motor hybrid powertrain shared with the Accord Hybrid in the U.S., Honda said, and promises substantially improved fuel efficiency over the gasoline version of the CR-V.
The CR-V Hybrid's main competitor will be Toyota's recently re-engineered RAV4 Hybrid now on sale. Toyota has said it will start making the RAV4 Hybrid in Georgetown, Ky., next year as it seeks to substantially increase hybrid crossover sales in North America.
Honda will manufacture the CR-V Hybrid's electric power unit in Russells Point, Ohio, and the vehicle's 2.0-liter engine in Anna, Ohio. That engine is shared with the Accord Hybrid.
Honda expects electrified vehicles to represent two-thirds of its global auto sales by 2030.
In the first eight months of the year, Honda said it sold 42,270 Accord Hybrid, Insight and Clarity electrified vehicles combined, a 68 percent increase from a year earlier.
