Green Daily

Toyota set the bar long ago int he hybrid automobile category with the compact Prius passenger car, and since then, the largest automakers have all wanted to take a cautious look at this market. Although 100% electric cars can't come close to servicing the needs of American drivers and automobile owners globally -- yet -- hybrid cars and trucks are the stopgap at this point in time.

So, while Toyota's marketing muscle behind the Prius has been ultra-successful, it's been odd to not see that much in terms of hybrid advertising and marketing from the Japanese automaker's two domestic rivals -- Honda and Nissan. In what could be seen as a major announcement this week, Honda Motor said that it's working on releasing a version of the Civic with the "GX" trim line nomenclature that will run on natural gas. Going one step further, Honda is also working on the "FCX" version of the Civic that will run on a hydrogen fuel cell.

Whether or not one or both of these products will actually make it to market is unknown, but Honda also stated in releasing the new Civic information that it wants to be the world's cleanest, most efficient manufacturer. That's a tall order indeed. Honda also gave information on how to solve the supply problem for the hydrogen needs that would required for its fuel cells.

How about individual refueling stations that provide heat and electricity for the home in addition to hydrogen for all those new fuel cell-powered vehicles? With Honda having reduced C02 emissions from its factories by 5 percent from 2000 to 2005, it wants to achieve another 5 percent from 2005 to 2010 -- and we're more than halfway through that period now.