Driving Honda's Lighter, Faster And More Fun Next-gen Hybrid Prototype

With nan American marketplace still struggling to get its caput astir nan full electrical car thing, plentifulness of manufacturers are scaling backmost their EV ambitions to refocus connected hybrid power. Whether that's correct for nan marketplace and, indeed, nan globe remains to beryllium seen, but we tin for judge expect to spot a batch much cars pinch soul combustion complete nan adjacent fewer years.

Honda has made its plans clear connected that front, which mightiness beryllium origin for interest among galore for 1 elemental reason: Outside of nan NSX, nan company's hybrids frankincense acold haven't precisely been nan astir engaging of machines. That, though, could alteration pinch a caller group of hybrid platforms launching soon that'll beryllium lighter, quicker and moreover much nosy to drive.

At nan company's extended proving grounds extracurricular of Tochigi, Japan, I was fixed a spell successful a brace of cars that gave maine logic to beryllium optimistic astir this adjacent procreation of electrically assisted but still combustion-dependent machines. They trust connected a bid of advancements that travel together to shape 3 different platforms: Small, Medium and Large.

Collectively, they're known arsenic nan Next Generation Hybrid System, and each 1 is designed to beryllium modular, capable to beryllium scaled up aliases down to fresh different models while still keeping their basal sections nan same. Platform sharing for illustration this makes it overmuch easier (and cheaper) for manufacturers to rotation retired caller machines and to do it quickly. With Honda looking to ramp up its hybrid offerings, that's key.

These platforms encompass things for illustration chassis, engines, electrical motors and electronics, positive nan awesome web of package required to necktie it each together. Reducing weight is simply a immense attraction here, pinch Honda's engineers coming up pinch a measurement to support clang information while dramatically reducing nan size of nan beforehand and rear subframes. This unsocial equates to a weight savings of immoderate 90 kilograms (about 200 pounds) successful a conveyance nan size of a Honda Civic.

Lighter weight intends much ratio and amended substance economy. There's besides a commensurate simplification successful costs of 10 percent for manufacturing versus nan company's existent platforms, positive promises of accrued grip and reduced roadworthy noise.

The smallest of Honda's caller platforms is destined for Honda's smallest cars, including ultra-minis that swarm Japanese streets but person seldom recovered overmuch occurrence successful nan United States. For now, astatine least, we won't beryllium getting immoderate cars based connected that platform.

The Medium and Large platforms, though, will beryllium tucked successful neatly passim galore next-generation cars from nan brand. Medium will beryllium suitable for four-cylinder machines for illustration nan Civic and crossover SUVs for illustration nan HR-V. The Large platform, meanwhile, will beryllium utilized for bigger V6 machines, for illustration nan Ridgeline and Passport.

Each strategy ties that motor to a brace of electrical motors, positive an optional 3rd electrical centrifugal astatine nan backmost for all-wheel drive. A revised, much compact artillery provides nan high-voltage existent to powerfulness nan system. It's tucked successful beneath nan rear seat.

None of that is radically different from what tin beryllium recovered successful Honda's existent hybrids. And, for illustration those, these caller hybrids will beryllium capable to tally successful an effective bid hybrid mode, wherever nan motor conscionable charges nan artillery and nan car drives exclusively utilizing nan electrical motors. Or, measurement connected that throttle harder astatine higher speeds and nan car tin straight prosecute nan motor to powerfulness nan car forward.

That's each familiar, but a fewer changes could person immoderate important impacts. On nan Large platform, a caller transmission enables nan car to person some a "hi" and "lo" cogwheel range, which could beryllium a boon for anyone towing their trusty trailer up into nan mountains for a play getaway.

The Medium-sized level tin do immoderate shifting, too, but it's only dress shifting present utilizing a strategy called S+ Shift. At nan property of a fastener (conveniently branded S+), this caller exertion creates nan acquisition of driving a virtual eight-speed transmission that you tin tally up aliases down done by pulling connected nan displacement paddles connected nan backmost of nan steering wheel.

Since, again, these hybrids are driven by their electrical motors, shifting isn't really doing overmuch of thing but making nan motor rev much aliases less. But, by varying nan electrical motor's output and regeneration, you get a surge of other guidance connected deceleration and a footwear of acceleration connected upshifts, each to simulate nan emotion of a due transmission.

I confess that I was very skeptical astir really this strategy would really thief erstwhile I went to Japan, but I was wrong. It's great. Honda prepared a prototype sedan for maine to drive, and it looked each nan world for illustration a current-gen Civic up top, isolated from pinch a alternatively ample chemoreceptor stuck connected nan beforehand and immoderate decidedly pronounced flared fenders.

Underneath nan tegument was a wholly different machine, built astir a front-drive type of nan next-gen platform. It sounded awesome to start, helped by what looked for illustration a athletics exhaust astatine nan back, positive nary shortage of integer augmentation coming done nan speakers.

But nan S+ Shift mode really made a compelling difference, too. Even though you're really conscionable needlessly revving that hybrid motor much aliases less, and really making nan strategy little efficient, nan consequence is simply a car that feels responsive and successful control, alternatively than thing conscionable droning connected arsenic deftly arsenic possible.The measurement nan car responds, aggressively downshifting arsenic you brake for corners and giving you a small footwear pinch each upshift connected nan measurement out, it made maine smile.

The remainder of nan car did, too. Honda's trial way was acold excessively soft for maine to sample nan improved thrust value aliases simplification successful roadworthy noise, but nan car's handling felt bully and its steering sharp, not rather arsenic singular arsenic nan existent Civic Type R but, again, measurement much nosy than today's humble Civic Hybrid.

Honda hasn't announced wherever this caller level will first appear, but if you want to get an early sensation of S+ Shift, it'll beryllium debuting successful nan upcoming Honda Prelude hybrid. That reborn coupe lacks each nan different advancements to beryllium recovered successful Honda's next-gen platform, but it does connection nan S+ virtual shifting. It's remarkably effective here, too, and pinch tons of parts sharing pinch nan Civic Type R, nan Prelude was a amazingly bully time.

While nan Prelude is hitting dealers soon, to sample cars featuring nan next-gen hybrid platform, you'll person to hold a small longer. Honda representatives said it'll commencement showing up beneath nan soma of its machines starting arsenic soon arsenic adjacent year. Based connected nan style of that prototype I drove, I'd opportunity a next-generation Civic will beryllium among nan first to athletics it.