Honda says may make hybrid cars in China

Japan's No. 2 automaker Honda Motor Co said on Thursday it was considering building hybrid vehicles in China, but did not have any specific plans yet.

The Nikkei business daily said Honda would begin making hybrid cars there in as early as 2012, following in the footsteps of Toyota Motor Corp, the industry leader in hybrid production and sales in China.

"We are considering it but have no concrete plan yet," said Honda spokesman Tomohiro Okada without elaborating on a possible schedule.

Joint ventures Dongfeng Honda Automobile Co and Guangqi Honda Automobile Co are slated to handle the output at two plants, the daily said.

The Civic Hybrid, already sold in China, and the Fit Hybrid that debuted in Japan last month are among the models to be manufactured, the Nikkei said.

Honda, through its hybrid offerings, aims to boost its brand image in China and attract wealthy, environmentally-conscious consumers, the Nikkei said.