Customers in Southern California's South Coast Air Quality Management District (SCAQMD) are able to purchase a natural gas-powered Civic GX and receive a home refueling appliance, "Phill", at no additional cost for 48 months without any additional commitment at the end of the term. As part of the incentive, the SCAQMD and the Mobile Source Reduction Air Pollution Reduction Review Committee are offering incentives equaling $2,000 and Honda will cover the remaining balance of the "Phill" lease. Additionally, for those same qualified customers, Honda will offer installation financing of up to $1,500.
After seven years of successfully marketing the Civic GX strictly to fleet operators who have the convenience of dedicated fueling stations, the Civic GX-Phill package is now available to southern California consumers that live within the boundaries of the SCAQMD. The Civic GX sedan provides practical transportation for up to four passengers and a driving range of between 200 and 220 miles, given the possibility to conveniently refuel as necessary from the customers own home. Since the GX shares a platform with the 2005 Civic LX sedan, it offers a similar array of convenience features and has earned a 5-star frontal impact crash rating from the National Highway Transportation Safety Administration.
The 1.7-liter, 4-cylinder Civic GX with a continuously variable automatic transmission (standard) has an MSRP of $ $21,760, plus destination and handling charges. The federal government offers a $2,000 tax deduction on the purchase of a new vehicle powered by alternative fuel and drivers in California will qualify for High-Occupancy Vehicle (HOV) lane access for solo commuters.
FuelMaker developed Phill, the world's first low-cost, home-based refueling appliance that can be mounted to a garage wall either indoors or outdoors, to allow natural gas powered vehicles to be refueled overnight directly from a homeowner's existing natural gas supply line. Phill provides GX drivers enough fuel for approximately 100 miles of driving on an eight hour refueling cycle. Phill is designed to offer ease of operation with simple "start" and "stop" buttons and will automatically turn itself off when the tank is full. Phil also has numerous safeguards throughout its system. Like any natural gas appliance, a FuelMaker trained installer must install Phill. The appliance can be leased to consumers through Honda dealers.
Natural gas-powered vehicles are part of Honda's energy strategy to offer the best available technology for the reduction of air pollution and petroleum dependence. Natural gas, an abundant North American product, is among the best alternatives for displacing petroleum on a short-term basis. On a long-term basis, the Civic GX and Phill can contribute toward the transition from petroleum to alternative fuels to hydrogen.
Established in 1989, FuelMaker Corporation is a privately held Toronto-based company and the world's leading manufacturer of natural gas vehicle refueling appliances.
For more information or downloadable high-resolution images of the Civic GX and other Honda vehicles, please visit www.hondanews.com. Consumer information is available at www.hondacars.com. Additional resources for items mentioned in this release include www.fuelmaker.com, www.epa.gov and www.aceee.org.