Honda Aircraft, a U.S.-based aircraft unit of Honda Motor, said Wednesday it will launch a new small business jet that can carry up to 11 people, with the aim of having the plane on the market around 2028.
Honda Aircraft said it plans to obtain certification for flight operations from U.S. aviation authorities to commercialize the new jet, which is categorized as a "light jet" and will be bigger than its existing HondaJet.
HondaJet is categorized as a "very light jet" that can seat a maximum of eight people.
With its high fuel efficiency, the new aircraft will be the world's first light business jet capable of a nonstop transcontinental flight across the United States, Honda officials said.
The new aircraft's maximum cruising distance is expected to reach 4,862 kilometers, with its fuel efficiency at least 20% higher than conventional light jets and at least 40% higher than medium-size aircraft.
As for the HondaJet, the company started deliveries in 2015 and has so far shipped a total of 227 units. Since 2017, it has been the world's most shipped small business jet for five consecutive years.
"The commercialization of our new light jet represents Honda's next chapter of skyward mobility, which further expands the potential of people's lives," Hideto Yamasaki, president and CEO of Honda Aircraft, said in a statement.
"By building on the expertise behind our technological innovations, we will accelerate the development of the program with sustainability," Yamasaki said.