Honda to start making gasoline-electric cars including Acura SUV, Accord sedan in China’s Guangzhou this year

Honda Motor Co plans to start making gasoline-electric hybrid cars in China later this year, to meet increasingly stringent fuel economy regulations in a country blighted by worsening air pollution.

The Japanese automaker will build hybrid versions of its Accord sedan and Acura compact crossover sport utility vehicle (SUV) in the southern city of Guangzhou in Guangdong province, Tokyo-based spokesman Ben Nakamura said on Thursday.

It will follow those with a hybrid version of its Spirior sedan, Nakamura said.

“By locally producing hybrid models in China, we can lower their prices and hope to sell more,” he said.

“That should help us more easily meet China’s tough fuel economy requirements.”

Chinese cities are frequently enveloped by smog from coal-fired power plants, heavy industry and clogged roads.