Honda Develops "Hybrid CVCC"

Bertel Schmitt
by Bertel Schmitt

Honda has developed a new, simple, gasoline-electric hybrid system which “will set a new standard for fuel efficiency and recapture the success of the CVCC engine 40 years ago,” writes Reuters.

The CVCC engine was a technological breakthrough that allowed Honda to meet U.S. emission standards without a catalytic converter.

“We believe we have reached a point with hybrid technology … where we can provide game-changing technology and products,” Honda CEO Takanobu Ito told Paul Ingrassia and Norihiko Shirouzu of Reuters today in Tokyo.

Not much more is known about the engine, but Reuters says it will power the next generation of its cars and could be introduced in the remodeled Fit subcompact car by late 2013 in Japan. For North America, the new Fit will be built in Mexico and will go on sale in the spring of 2014.

Developing new drivetrains costs money, and the hybrid-premium still slows success. That can be cured with mass production. For the necessary scale, Honda ” absolutely won’t reject an alliance if we can work together with another company in a way that leads to our customers being more impressed with Honda’s products,” Ito said.

Bertel Schmitt
Bertel Schmitt

Bertel Schmitt comes back to journalism after taking a 35 year break in advertising and marketing. He ran and owned advertising agencies in Duesseldorf, Germany, and New York City. Volkswagen A.G. was Bertel's most important corporate account. Schmitt's advertising and marketing career touched many corners of the industry with a special focus on automotive products and services. Since 2004, he lives in Japan and China with his wife <a href="http://www.tomokoandbertel.com"> Tomoko </a>. Bertel Schmitt is a founding board member of the <a href="http://www.offshoresuperseries.com"> Offshore Super Series </a>, an American offshore powerboat racing organization. He is co-owner of the racing team Typhoon.

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  • YellowDuck YellowDuck on Sep 12, 2012

    My guess is a series hybrid. Hyper efficient gas or diesel engine running at one rpm when needed as a range extender. Fancy tech to reduce battery losses, efficient electric motor(s) as the only drive source. Plug in of course.

  • Car_guy2010 Car_guy2010 on Sep 13, 2012

    Put it in the four-door golf cart on wheels....errrr...Fit, lower the asking price and sell it in droves and I'll bite.

  • BangForYourBuck BangForYourBuck on Sep 13, 2012

    It's a direct injected, turbo charged, lean burn, 1.0 liter three pot, with variable cam turning at 8,500 RPM thru a CVT and marketed thru and Apple-like "Hi! I'm a Prius." "And I'm a Pre-Mahonda"

  • Danwat1234 Danwat1234 on Sep 17, 2012

    What this article is about, is Honda's "Earth Dreams" engines. Engines that have a displacement of 2 liters or less will have Direct Injection (finally) and also an Atkinson valve behavior mode when throttle is low to bring hybrid like fuel economy. The engine will be in OTTO cycle mode when you want power. Engines larger than 2L will have DI but no Atkinson valve behavior. Honda's hybrids will finally be true series+parallel hybrids, not mild hybrids like they have been. They will have similar drivetrains to the Prius. The 2013 CRZ hybrid is going to have an updated drivetrain. http://world.honda.com/news/2011/4111130Earth-Dreams-Technology/index.html

    • Herm Herm on Oct 27, 2012

      Exactly what I said on the 5th.. since the patent ran out Honda will finally copy the Toyota (and Ford) hybrid systems.. two motors, the engine and a planetary gear torque blending device. The Volt is similar, just the details and design goal vary. In the last few years there have been issues with the Honda hybrid batteries, mostly due to cheapening out the design.. be very careful when purchasing a used Honda Hybrid.. go buy a Prius instead, those are bulletproof

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