Honda Presents Next-generation e:HEV Technologies at Press Briefing on Honda e:HEV Business and Technology

The e:HEV realizes highly efficient driving in all situations by seamlessly and automatically switching between three modes: 1) the EV Drive Mode, where the vehicle runs using only electricity from the battery; 2) the Hybrid Drive Mode, where the vehicle runs on the motor alone using electricity generated by the engine; 3) and the Engine Drive Mode, unique to Honda e:HEV, where the engine is directly connected to the wheels via a clutch.

For the next-generation e:HEV, component parts, including engine and drive unit, and control technology will be renewed respectively for both the small-size system (with a 1.5-liter engine) and the mid-size system (with a 2.0-liter engine) to further improve environmental performance and a high-quality and exhilarating driving experience of e:HEV models.

・The all-new 1.5-liter and 2.0-liter direct-injection Atkinson cycle engines, front drive unit and integrated cooling system will be developed, and by combining them with the new Next-generation Mid-size Platform currently being developed, Honda will aim to improve fuel economy of the next-generation e:HEV models with the mid-size system by more than 10% compared to the first-generation 2-motor hybrid models.

・In light of compliance with future environmental regulations around the world, the new engines are designed to realize a theoretical air-fuel ratio^*3 without compromising power output for all driving situations, from everyday driving and situations where powerful acceleration is required such as merging onto an expressway, realizing both excellent power output and fuel economy.

・The new 1.5-liter engine will achieve a significant improvement in fuel economy by expanding the range where engine RPM becomes highly efficient in balance with engine torque, by more than 40% compared to the current 1.5-liter engine for the e:HEV system.

・The new front drive unit will feature both downsized packaging and increased efficiency. By maximizing the commonality between the drive unit for the small-size and mid-size systems, the cost will be reduced significantly, which contributes to the improvement of business viability.

・Moreover, engine and motor performance in each drive mode will be made even more efficient. In Engine Drive Mode, the fuel economy will be improved by increasing torque transmission efficiency when the engine is directly connected and also by expanding range where highly-efficient Engine Drive Mode will be used during high-speed cruising by utilizing battery assist.

・The power conversion and engine efficiency will also be improved for EV Drive Mode and Hybrid Drive Mode. As a result, both 1.5-liter and 2.0-liter engines will achieve the highest^*4 combustion efficiency.