Honda Hybrid Minivan On Sale In Japan, Using Accord Hybrid System

In the U.S., Honda hybrids have essentially gone on hiatus this year.

For the 2016 model year, the only hybrid it sells is the aging CR-Z two-seater, which uses the carmaker's old Integrated Motor Assist (IMA) mild-hybrid system.

The Accord Hybrid--and its more sophisticated full-hybrid powertrain--is taking the year off, but will return in an updated version for 2017.

In the meantime, its hybrid system will find a new home in a rather different kind of vehicle.

A new Honda Odyssey Hybrid minivan goes on sale in Japan this week, using the same Intelligent Multi-Mode Drive (i-MMD) system as the Accord.

This isn't the same Odyssey as the one sold in North America, though.

Honda Odyssey Hybrid (Japanese model)

Development of Japanese and North American-market versions diverged years ago so Honda could satisfy U.S. buyers' demands for a larger minivan.

So the new Odyssey Hybrid is based on the smaller Japanese-market Odyssey that was last fully redesigned in 2013.

The front-wheel drive minivan uses a 2.0-liter four-cylinder engine and a pair of electric motors, with a lithium-ion battery pack mounted under the first-row seats.

Honda says it has developed a new winding method and other refinements for the drive motor, making it 23 percent smaller than previous versions.

The Honda i-MMD system also eliminates the need for a conventional transmission.

Instead, it uses one electric motor as a generator to harness power from the gasoline engine, which only drives the wheels directly under very specific circumstances.

Honda Odyssey Hybrid (Japanese model)

While there is no chance of Honda offering the Japanese-market Odyssey Hybrid in the U.S., it would be interesting if the company offered some form of hybrid minivan here.

If nothing else, a minivan with the two-motor hybrid system would be a good rival for the 2017 Chrysler Pacifica plug-in hybrid.

Even if it doesn't get used in another vehicle, we'll still see an updated version of the i-MMD system when the Accord Hybrid returns for the 2017 model year.

Back in 2014, Green Car Reports named the Accord Hybrid our Best Car To Buy, although supplies of the model remained constrained during much of its initial tenure here.

If that's an issue Honda can fix, expanding use of the i-MMD hybrid system to other U.S.-market models may not be out of the question.

Slow sales cause Honda to scrub natural gas and hybrid Civics

Slow sales and falling gasoline prices have prompted Honda to stop selling gas-electric hybrid and natural gas-powered versions of its Civic compact car.

The company also said that it will discontinue a plug-in rechargeable version of the midsize Accord.

But it plans to roll out a new, more efficient version of the Accord hybrid early next year. And a new plug-in Accord will come at a later date.

Executive Vice President John Mendel said Monday in a statement that production of the natural gas Civic already has been halted, and hybrid Civic production will end after the 2015 model year.

The average price of a gallon of regular gasoline nationwide was $2.80 on Monday, 86 cents below a year ago.

Mendel also said the small number of natural gas refueling stations continue to be a challenge for owners. Honda sold only about 16,000 natural gas Civics since 1998. Mendel said Honda will continue to service the natural gas cars.
Through May, Honda has sold only 1,873 hybrid Civics out of a total of 129,574, according to Autodata Corp. Natural gas Civic sales for the year were not released.

Part of the reason for the slow hybrid and natural gas Civic sales is the progress that Honda and other automakers have made getting better mileage out of gaspowered vehicles. Honda plans to start selling a sleeklooking new Civic in the fall that will get a little more than 40 miles per gallon in highway driving, Mendel said in the statement.

Reader Q: 2014 Honda Accord Plug-In Hybrid Vs Other Hybrids

With two dozen hybrid models now on the market, and several mass-market plug-in hybrids as well, weighing costs and benefits can get a lot more complicated.

Take, for instance, our reader Catherine Chan-Smith, who wrote to ask for advice:

I've read your article on the 2014 Honda Accord Plug-In Hybrid, and was hoping you could help shed some light on the car.

My husband and I are looking for a fuel-efficient and comfortable car; we test-drove the Toyota Prius and Camry Hybrid, Hyundai Sonata Hybrid, and the Accord Plug-in.

We're ruling out the Prius at this point, because we didn't love how it drove, nor was it very comfortable.

I really love the Accord Plug-In--it's comfortable and the 115 MPG is a big selling point, obviously. The trunk is tiny and that's potentially a deal-breaker for my husband, who thinks it's way too small for us and our two kids (ages 2 and 5).

He also doesn't think that we'll be able to get the 115 MPG based on how we drive. I drive 60 miles round trip every day...and my average morning commute in Los Angeles is about an hour.

Do you think we'll be able to get close to 100-115 MPG or will I get significantly less due to my long commute?

You will NOT get 115 mpg, no matter how you drive.

That number is a theoretical equivalent number called "MPGe," or miles-per-gallon-equivalent. It refers to how far the car will travel electrically on the same amount of energy as contained in 1 gallon of gasoline.

It's confusing in that respect, because the car only operates at that efficiency for the distance it can travel on battery power alone.

For the 2014 Accord Plug-In Hybrid, the EPA says that number is 13 miles.

So if you drive 60 miles a day, you may get 10 to 12 miles on electricity (depending on your speed and driving style). Then the car reverts to being a conventional hybrid when the battery pack is depleted.

Its fuel efficiency as a hybrid is rated at 46 mpg, which is pretty good for a car that large, though you might be better to plan on 35 or 40 mpg in case you're an aggressive driver.

As for its capacity, it's a mid-size sedan, so it should be fine for two adults and two small children.

I don't know how much stuff you carry--so trunk space could be an issue--but in terms of cabin capacity it should be fine--unless you're used to a Chevy Suburban or something!

2013 Hyundai Sonata Hybrid drive event, NYC area, April 2013

Are we better off getting a Hyundai Sonata Hybrid?

I've just driven the new 2013 Hyundai Sonata Hybrid, which is upgraded compared to the 2011-2012 hybrid model.

I'd say you'll get a real-world 35 mpg or so in that car.

Note that it's not a plug-in hybrid with a battery pack you can recharge from the wall, but a regular hybrid that runs only on gasoline--but more efficiently.

We found the new 2013 hybrid Sonata to drive better than the previous version did.

See details in our 2013 Sonata Hybrid first drive report. We'll have another article on a longer drive up within a few days.

Lastly, do you know if Honda is coming out with a Hybrid Accord (non-plugin) this year?

Honda is indeed coming out with a conventional hybrid version of the Accord, without the plug-in feature.

It'll be out sometime in the second half of this year, but we don't know the price or efficiency rating yet.

The delay is because the Accord Hybrid will be built with other Accords in a U.S. plant, whereas the plug-in Accord is built in Japan.

Source: Green Car Reports

Honda officially starts 2014 Accord Plug-in Sales in New York, California

The 2014 Honda Accord Plug-In Hybrid Electric Vehicle, rated by the EPA at 115 MPGe in all electric mode went on-sale at select New York and California Honda dealers on 15 January 15 with an MSRP of $39,780 and a monthly lease price of $429. 

The Honda Accord Plug-In is rated by the EPA with a maximum EV Mode driving range of 13 miles and a gasoline fuel-economy rating of 47/46/46 mpg (city/hwy/combined). The 2014 Accord Plug-In earned the highest EPA MPGe rating (115 MPGe) in its class, topping all plug-in-class competitors.

In addition to being Honda’s first plug-in hybrid electric vehicle, the Accord Plug-In is the first production car in the US to meet the new, more stringent LEV3/SULEV20 emissions standard, and will also qualify for single-occupant carpool-lane access in California.

The 2014 Accord Plug-in Hybrid is powered by an all-new Honda Earth Dreams technology two-motor hybrid system utilizing a 124 kW electric motor that also acts like a continuously variable transmission (e-CVT) mated to a 2.0-liter i-VTEC, Atkinson cycle 4-cylinder engine. Electric-only operation is supported by a 6.7-kilowatt-hour (kWh) lithium-ion (Li-Ion) battery, with regenerative braking provided by an all-new electric-servo braking system.

To maximize driving efficiency, the new two-motor hybrid system allows the Accord Plug-In powertrain to transition seamlessly between all-electric EV Drive, gasoline-electric Hybrid Drive; and direct Engine Drive. Beyond its function as a full-electric vehicle, owners of the Accord Plug-In will be able to choose two additional driving modes to manage battery capacity and tailor the capabilities of the vehicle to their commute.

In its default start-up mode, the Accord Plug-In acts as a pure electric vehicle and will remain in full-electric mode until the battery state of charge necessitates the automatic switch to gas/electric hybrid operation. At higher speeds and engine loads, such as during aggressive acceleration, the gasoline engine kicks in to provide additional power.

There is also a button on the center console that allows the driver to manually select EV mode. In the driver-selectable HV mode, the plug-in Accord acts as a conventional hybrid, blending electric motor gasoline engine power to maximize fuel efficiency while maintaining the battery charge level.

Pricing announced for January debut of Accord Plug-In with class-leading MPGe, Accord Hybrid due next summer; Auto show debuts for 2013 Crosstour and CR-Z

PRESS RELEASE

The 2013 Honda Civic debuted today at the 2012 Los Angeles Auto Show sporting extensive interior and exterior design upgrades, enhanced dynamics, and a host of new standard features. Honda also announced that the 2014 Accord Plug-In Hybrid earned a class-leading EPA-certified 115 MPGe rating and will go on sale in New York and California on January 15 with an MSRP of $39,7801. Separately, the Accord Hybrid, featuring Honda's new two-motor hybrid system, will launch nationwide next summer with anticipated class-leading2 fuel economy of 49/45/47 city/hwy/combined. The thoroughly revised 2013 Honda Crosstour and 2013 Honda CR-Z also made their auto-show debuts.
"Our industry has never been more competitive or fast changing, and a significant refresh of Civic, America's best-selling compact car, just one model year after its debut as an all-new model shows true speed to market," said John Mendel, American Honda executive vice president of Sales. "Our corporate direction is to provide our customers with great products with speed, affordability and low CO2 emissions. There is no better example of this direction than today's introduction of the 2013 Honda Civic."

The 2013 Honda Civic Sedan, the nation's best-selling compact car which celebrates its 40th anniversary in America next year, goes on sale today with extensive changes to further reinforce its market leadership. While still maintaining all the efficiency and value that has made the Civic an automotive icon, the 2013 Honda Civic Sedan receives all-new front and rear exterior styling, while all Civics sport extensive interior upgrades including more luxurious finishes, and a host of new standard equipment.

Retuned steering and suspension sharpen the Civic's handling, extensive chassis upgrades including Honda's ACE™ II body structure improve safety, ride comfort and interior quietness, and every Civic model has more popular standard features including Bluetooth® HandsFreeLink®, rearview camera, Pandora® Interface, SMS text message feature, and steering wheel audio controls. The 2013 Civic arrives with even greater value for money, adding highly desired feature with an MSRP increase of only $160 across the lineup. Pricing for the exceptionally well-equipped 2013 Civic LX Sedan begins at $18,1651.

2014 Honda Accord Plug-In and Accord Hybrid
Honda announced at the Los Angeles Auto Show today that the 2014 Accord Plug-In Hybrid will be available for retail sale and lease beginning January 15 in California and New York, with an MSRP of $39,780.1 The 2014 Accord Plug-In has earned the highest EPA MPGe rating3 in its class (115 MPGe), surpassing plug-in-class competitors including the Ford C-Max Energi (100 MPGe), Chevy Volt (98 MPGe), and Prius Plug-in (95 MPGe). The 2014 Accord Plug-in has been rated by the EPA with a maximum all-electric EV mode range of 13 miles, and a fuel-economy rating of 47/46/46 mpg (city/hwy/combined). The Accord Plug-in is the first production car in America to meet the more stringent new LEV3/SULEV20 emissions standard, and it will also qualify for single-occupant carpool-lane access in California.

The two-motor Accord Hybrid will launch nationwide next summer, with anticipated class-leading2 fuel economy ratings of 49/45/47 mpg (city/hwy/combined). Unlike the unique styling of the Accord Plug-In, the Accord Hybrid will share styling much closer the conventional Accord Sedan. More details on the Accord Hybrid will be released closer to launch.

2013 Honda Crosstour and CR-Z
The thoroughly revised 2013 Honda Crosstour and 2013 Honda CR-Z made their auto show debuts today, both vehicles having gone on sale the previous week. The 2013 Honda Crosstour arrives with extensive updates to both four-cylinder and V-6 models, and a starting MSRP $525 lower than in 2012. The 2013 Crosstour offers more purposeful exterior styling, significant upgrades to the interior design and materials, and a more powerful, more fuel-efficient available Earth Dreams™ V-6 engine coupled to a six-speed automatic transmission with paddle-shift control. The 2013 Crosstour is one of the first Honda models available with the new keyless Smart Entry with Push Button start and Honda's new LaneWatch™ blind-spot display. Other standard visibility-enhancing features include a rearview camera and new re-shaped rear headrests.

The 2013 Honda CR-Z Sport Hybrid Coupe arrives with more power and better fuel efficiency thanks to an all-new Lithium-Ion battery pack, and a new Plus Sport System™ allows improved passing performance via additional on-demand electric boost, activated by a steering wheel-mounted "S+" button. Styling upgrades include revised interior trim, a new front fascia and a new aerodynamically functional rear diffuser. The CR-Z's standard equipment list – which already includes automatic climate control, power windows and door locks, remote entry and cruise control – adds Bluetooth® HandsFreeLink®, rearview camera and an Expanded View Driver's Mirror for 2013.

For more media information and images from Honda's 2012 Los Angeles Auto Show debuts, please visit HondaNews.com.

2014 Honda Accord Plug-in Hybrid Debuts With 100 MPGe

Last week, Honda pulled the covers off of the 2014 Honda Accord Plug-in Hybrid, and perhaps some people wish they would have left it on. While it may not be the prettiest belle at the ball, the Honda Accord Plug-in Hybrid does offer some impressive numbers that will make it a real contender in the marketplace. Chief among those numbers, an estimated 100 MPGe rating, as well as a pure-electric range that is competitive with its rivals.

100 MPGe, Up To 15 Miles Of EV Range
The 2014 Honda Accord Plug-in Hybrid will hit dealerships in early 2013, and it comes with a new 2.0 liter “Earth Dreams” engine a 124 kW electric motor, and a 6.7 kWh battery pack. This combination will offer total output of 196 horsepower (137 from the gas engine, 59 from the electric motor) and between 10 and 15 miles of electric-only driving. It also qualifies, according to Honda, for a 100 MPGe rating under the EPA guidelines.

15 miles enough range to cover most around-town trips, and the 6.7 kWh battery pack qualifies the Accord Plug-in Hybrid for $3,750 in gov’ment money via a Federal Tax Credit. Honda has yet to announce the MSRP of the Accord Plug-in, though if Ford and Toyota’s pricing is any indication, it should be in the low-30’s/high 20’s with the tax credit.

More Than Powertrain Improvements

The Accord Plug-in Hybrid will come with special wheels, more aerodynamic design, and less weight. The wheels are designed to produce less drag, as are underbody trays for the engine and cabin floors. An aluminum hood, sub-frame, brake pedal, and rear bumper drop a substantial (though unspecified) amount of weight from the Accord Plug-in Hybrid. It no doubt also adds to the MSRP, while giving this new Honda a bit of a funky-but-not-fresh look.

Honda is taking a different route than most automakers by released the plug-in version of the Accord prior to the “standard” hybrid version. This is the case with all of Honda’s alt-fuel cars including their only pure electric car, the Honda Fit EV. While the first leases have already been signed for the Fit EV, you can only lease it in California and you can’t buy it just yet.

Impressive Enough?

So far, Honda has been just another “also ran” in the hybrid game, unable to match the efficiency of the Toyota Prius, or the versatility of the Ford C-Max Energi. Unfortunately, the 2014 Accord Plug-in Hybrid already appears to have the same issue, falling squarely in the middle of the pack, at least on paper. Hell, even the debut pictures feature a car painted a very boring beige. Like, come on Honda! Give me a blue, a green, even white. But beige? Ugh. It’s like you want to be boring.

The interior is even less exciting though. Yes, there is a long list of standard features, but the interior couldn’t be more…appropriate. Touchscreen navigation and infotainment? Check. Standard gauge cluster? Check. MOST BORING SHIFTER EVER? Double check. Yawn.

Having just sold a ‘98 Honda Accord that served me very well, I really am rooting for the 2014 Accord Plug-in Hybrid to find a rabid customer base. While there was nothing exciting about my car, I did appreciate its frugality and reliability. Not once did that car, with nearly 180,000 miles on it, leave me stranded.

But the 1998 Honda Accord comes from a time when reliability was itself a rate quality. The average American really only had two choices when it came to reliable vehicles; you either drove a full-size pickup, or a Toyota/Honda. Everything else was a crapshoot at best. These days, the few new car buyers left have a lot of excellent, better-looking, more versatile and frankly more exciting options.

I hope Hibda has a great ad campaign lined up.

Source: Honda

         



Source: Gas2.0

Introducing the 2014 Honda Accord Hybrid and Plug-In Hybrid

Honda was the second carmaker in the world to launch a line of hybrid vehicles, though its compact and subcompact mild hybrids have long been overshadowed by Toyota's dominant Prius models.

That may be about to change.

Early next year, a new 2014 Honda Accord Hybrid--and equally significant, a 2014 Honda Accord Plug-InHybrid--will put Honda squarely into the crucial and competitive segment of mid-size hybrid sedans.

The new pair of Accord Hybrids, one without a plug and one with, will face off against the Prius Liftback (which has its own plug-in model) and the upcoming 2013 Ford Fusion Hybrid and Energi plug-in hybrid.

The 2014 Accord Hybrid, the higher-volume of the two, will also compete with the Toyota Camry Hybrid, the Hyundai Sonata Hybrid and Kia Optima Hybrid, and other hybrid entries to come.

2014 HONDA ACCORD PLUG-IN HYBRID: DRIVING IMPRESSIONS -- coming next week!

While Honda offered an Accord Hybrid from 2004 to 2007, that model used a more powerful version of the company's Integrated Motor Assist mild-hybrid system. It didn't offer all-electric running, but just assisted the engine--and it was tuned for power, not fuel efficiency.

2014 Honda Accord Plug-In Hybrid

Seven years later, Honda has come back with its first full hybrid system, echoing Toyota and Ford in using two motors rather than the single-motor hybrid design employed by Hyundai, Volkswagen, and others.

New 2-motor design

Honda has taken a different approach, however, designing an exceptionally compact system with only a single clutch between the pair of motor-generators.

The first motor, which serves as a generator to charge the battery, is fixed to the back of a 137-hp, 2.0-liter four-cylinder engine that runs on the ultra-efficient Atkinson Cycle.

The second motor, which can power the vehicle on electricity alone, is fixed to the differential that turns the front wheels. It also acts as a generator to recharge the battery under regenerative braking.

More operating modes than Prius

2014 Honda Accord Plug-In Hybrid

Honda notes that its system can run three ways: in all-electric mode, as a series hybrid with the engine turning the first generator to produce electricity that powers the second motor (with the clutch between them opened), or as a parallel hybrid with engine and motor together contributing torque (with the clutch engaged).

With its smaller motor-generators, the Toyota Prius Plug-In does not offer the series-hybrid mode. Honda points out that the plug-in Accord Hybrid is set to select among these powertrain options autonomously, so they are not user-selectable "modes".

The gasoline engine is completely beltless, with the water pump, power steering, air-conditioning compressor, and friction-brake servo all powered electrically.

Total output of the engine and motor-generators combined is 196 hp and 226 lb-ft of torque. Maximum electric-motor output is 124 kilowatts (166 hp).

As for range, Honda says the 2014 Accord Plug-In Hybrid will do 10 to 15 miles under electric power--and that it does not switch on its engine under conditions where the Prius Plug-In Hybrid must do so to maintain power.

$3,750 credit, HOV access

The lithium-ion battery pack, with a substantial 6.7 kilowatt-hours (against the 4.2 kWh of the Prius Plug-In), is mounted vertically at the front of the trunk against the rear seat back.

That capacity qualifies buyers of the 2014 Honda Accord Plug-In Hybrid for a $3,750 Federal income-tax credit.

2014 Honda Accord Plug-In Hybrid

And the plug-in hybrid Accord will meet California's strict e-AT-PZEV emissions standards, qualifying it for the highly valued green sticker giving the car access to High Occupancy Vehicle (HOV) lanes with just a single occupant.

The Accord Plug-In has a "HV" (hybrid vehicle) switch that lets drivers opt to operate only as a hybrid, preserving the battery charge for later use where zero-emission operation may be desired (late at night or in European central cities that prohibit gasoline vehicles).

It is also fitted with a 6.6-kilowatt built-in charger, meaning that its battery can recharge twice as fast as those of the Chevy Volt, Toyota Prius Plug-In Hybrid, and Nissan Leaf.

The 2014 Honda Accord Plug-In Hybrid will be rolled out to select dealers in certain regions starting early in 2013. The non-plug-in 2014 Accord Hybrid will follow within a few months, and will be rolled out nationally. Both vehicles will be built in Sayama, Japan.

Standard 2013 Accord: Four or V-6

Honda released technical details of the 2014 Accord Plug-In Hybrid at a media event held in Santa Barbara to launch its redesigned and refreshed lineup of standard 2013 Accord sedans and coupes.

The conventional Accords, which sell in huge volumes in the U.S.--Honda called the model "a very, very important car for us"--offer a choice of 185-hp, 2.4-liter four-cylinder and 278-hp, 3.5-liter V-6engines.

Buyers can choose among a six-speed manual gearbox, a new six-speed automatic, and for the fours, an all-new continuously variable transmission (CVT) for better gas mileage.

The four with CVT is rated at 27 mpg city, 36 mpg highway, which isn't quite at the top of the class--the Nissan Altima matches the city number and hits 38 mpg highway--while the V-6 with automatic returns a respectable 21 mpg city, 34 mpg highway.

Source: Green Car Reports

2013 Honda Accord Plug-in Hybrid snapped almost completely exposed

Look what our spies stumbled upon the other evening in Los Angeles: It's the 2013 Honda Accord Plug-In Hybrid, sans cladding. While these night shots aren't the best quality, we have yet to see any more revealing images of the next-generation Honda family sedan.

Forget for a minute that this Accord is clearly the plug-in hybrid variant – you can tell by the extra fuel filler door on the front fender – and just check out the grille and those headlights. Look familiar? It should, unless you missed the Honda Concept C at the recent Beijing Motor Show.

We're glad to see that its more aggressive front fascia has been applied nearly lock, stock, and smoking barrel to the Accord. (Is there any Honda that more needs this shot in the arm?) But it does raise some questions about the first set of 2013 Accord spy shots we saw last week, which show the car wearing a different nose. Will Honda have two different looks for the new Accord, one for the Plain Jane sedan and another, more exciting front fascia for its green model? It's a strategy that Hyundai employs on the Sonata, but we certainly can't confirm such a theory yet.

We do, however, have some evidence of what Honda will be doing to the rear end of the Accord, which is making it more aerodynamic via those squared-off bumper edges on either side of the car. The car snapped in the pictures also appears to have a little spoiler on the lip of the trunk, though again, we can't say whether these details are exclusive to the Accord Plug-In Hybrid or might make their way into all the Accord models.

Either way, these images look promising, as they show a car that's both more attractive and dynamic than the eighth-generation Accord we've been living with since 2008.


Source: Autoblog Green