Honda Motor Co. will introduce the HondaJet Elite II, a new model of its popular small business aircraft with a longer flight range and an automatic landing system.
According to Honda Aircraft Co., the latest model, priced at $6.95 million, can travel 2,865 kilometers, 204 kilometers longer than previous models, due to a larger fuel tank.
Honda Aircraft recently announced the addition of performance-enhancing ground spoiler devices to its wings to aid in speed control.
“The HondaJet Elite II once again pushes the boundaries of its category on all fronts of performance, comfort and style,” Hideto Yamasaki, CEO of Honda Aircraft, said in a statement.
After receiving a certificate for flight operations from US aviation authorities, the company expects to begin delivering the aircraft to customers in November.
According to Honda Aircraft, the new model will also include new automation technologies such as emergency auto-landing by the end of next year. According to the company, the functions can be retrofitted to the aircraft.
HondaJet delivered 37 aircraft in 2021, making it the best-selling small business jet for the fifth year in a row. It gained popularity among corporate executives as a safer mode of transportation during the coronavirus pandemic, according to the report.
Honda entered the business jet market in 2015 with the introduction of the jet, which has a high fuel efficiency and a relatively large cabin space.
The late Soichiro Honda, the founder of the Japanese automaker, hoped to develop a private jet. In 1962, he announced the company’s intention to enter the aircraft market.