evnow
Well-known member
2012 is going to be a Plug-In Year. Hot on the heels of Fusion Energi announcement comes the Accord PHEV announcement.
http://www.autoblog.com/2012/01/10/2013-honda-accord-coupe-concept-detroit-2012/" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;
Honda needs to learn how to make these announcements better. Even I nearly missed it (except for a thread in PC).
Still missing,
- Camry PHEV (they will start considering it this year, talk about it next year and finally produce it in 2020)
- Altima PHEV (rumored for next year)
A short driving test by Brad.
http://www.plugincars.com/first-drive-honda-plug-hybrid-could-beat-volt-and-prius-110828.html" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;
http://www.autoblog.com/2012/01/10/2013-honda-accord-coupe-concept-detroit-2012/" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;
What's really interesting, though, is that the 2013 model marks the return of the Accord Hybrid – a vehicle that died after the 2007 model year. This time, however, the Accord will use an all-new two-motor plug-in hybrid system with three drive modes – all-electric, gasoline-electric and "direct-drive" – with a 6-kWh lithium-ion battery and a 120-kilowatt electric motor mated to a 2.0-liter Atkinson-cycle inline four-cylinder engine. Honda says that the Accord Plug-In will have a pure electric range of 10-15 miles with a top speed of 62 miles per hour, and that recharging the battery will take less than four hours with a 120-volt charger, or less than 1.5 hours with a 240-volt setup. Not bad, Honda.
Honda needs to learn how to make these announcements better. Even I nearly missed it (except for a thread in PC).
Still missing,
- Camry PHEV (they will start considering it this year, talk about it next year and finally produce it in 2020)
- Altima PHEV (rumored for next year)
A short driving test by Brad.
http://www.plugincars.com/first-drive-honda-plug-hybrid-could-beat-volt-and-prius-110828.html" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;
Five minutes is not a lot of time to experience a car. For about four of those minutes I was trying to figure out when the gas engine was or wasn’t on. I started my drive in all-electric mode. When I eased up to 35 miles per hour, it was still purely electric. From there, I stomped on the accelerator and detected a very slight vibration from the 2.0-liter gas engine—but within a few seconds, it was quiet again as I continued to accelerate with more restraint. Is it on? Is it off? Except for a full throttle-down take-off from low speed to max speed—as if ramping up to a highway—I couldn’t tell.
The driving experience of the Honda two-motor plug-in hybrid system reminded me of the Ford Fusion Hybrid’s smooth transition from gas to electric and back. Perhaps the key is Honda PHEV’s efficient 2.0-liter gas engine, just big enough to rev at relatively lower RPMs to remain quiet (with little vibration)—compared to the Toyota Prius Plug-in Hybrid’s slightly smaller 1.8-liter engine that comes on with an unmistakable rumble.