Today is the official launch date for Honda's first entry in the plug-in hybrid vehicle market in the United States: the 2014 Accord Plug-In Hybrid. Initially, the 2014 Accord Plug-In Hybrid will only be available in New York and California, but as time passes by, the plug-in sedan is expected to be offered in other states.

The Accord PHEV is the first gas-burning vehicle to qualify for CARB’s Super Ultra Low Emissions Vehicle 20 (SULEV 20) standard. This implies emissions of 20 milligrams or less per mile.

The $39,780 (base MSRP prior to federal tax credit of $3,334) Accord plug-in is rated at 124 MPGe city; 105 MPGe highway; and 115 MPGe combined. Its electric-only range is listed at 13 miles and its fuel economy rating is 47 mpg city, 46 mpg highway and 46 mpg combined.

The Accord plug-in features a 2.0-liter i-VTEC four-cylinder Atkinson cycle engine and a 124-kW electric motor. Honda claims that the plug-in Accord can be charged in less than one hour using a Level 2 setup or in three hours with a 120-volt outlet.

The Honda Accord Plug-in Hybrid [3] joins the Chevy Volt [4], Toyota Prius Plug-in Hybrid [5], Fisker Karma [6], and Ford C-Max Energi [7] in the PHEV market, offering an unprecedented amount of consumer choice in terms of price, brand, technical configuration, and all-electric range. The Ford Fusion Energi [8] follow later this year, and the Cadillac ELR [9] in early 2014, giving car shoppers seven plug-in hybrids to consider.