The Detroit Auto Show this year is just stacked full of green car announcements. When it was Honda’s turn today, they released a whole new version of the Honda Accord Coupe. While it was labelled as a concept and is being called a concept by Honda, they ensure us that it will make it to production for the 2013 model year. The 2013 Honda Accord will feature 3 drive train options, the most exciting is of course the 2013 Honda Accord Plug-in Hybrid.
The 2013 Honda Accord Plug-in Hybrid will be the first US application of both a 2.4 liter direct-injected engine and a two-motor plug-in hybrid system. The plug-in hybrid system is from Honda’s suite of next generation Earth Dreams powertrain technologies.
“Marking the 30th anniversary of U.S. production, this new ninth-generation Accord will raise the bar again through a tour de force of new Honda powertrain and safety technologies, geared to ensure that Honda and the Accord continue to lead in fuel economy, safety and fun-to-drive performance,” said John Mendel, executive vice president of sales for American Honda.
The 2013 Honda Accord Plug-in Hybrid, which appears to only be available in the Sedan, not the coupe, will use a new two motor hybrid system that uses 3 modes and constantly moves between them. The all-electric, gasoline-electric and direct-drive modes will help maximize efficiency and fuel economy of the Honda Accord Plug-in Hybrid.
In all-electric mode, the Accord Plug-in Hybrid will use the 6 KwH lithium-ion battery pack and a 120Kw electric motor to propel the electric vehicle. The Accord Plug-in Hybrid will have an all-electric range of approximately 10-15 miles in the city, and will have a top speed of 62MPH. Since the battery pack is relatively small, in comparison at least to fully electric vehicles like the Nissan Leaf and Mitsubishi i-Miev, the Accord Plug-in Hybrid will recharge faster – 4 hours on a 120-volt plug, and about 1.5 hours to fully charge on a 240-volt outlet.
In the gasoline-electric hybrid mode, the Honda Accord Plug-in Hybrid is powered by a 2.0 liter Atkinson cycle engine mated to an electric CVT transmission. For high speed cruising with maximum efficiency, the direct-drive mode uses only the gasoline engine to power the front wheels – which, although unmentioned in the press release from Honda, leads us to believe that the electric motor powers the rear wheels.
