Honda Accord plug-in hybrid follows plug-in Prius path
Can the Accord plug-in lift Honda's hybrid spirits.
A small battery plug-in hybrid
Honda’s first plug-in hybrid probably won’t hit the streets until after the Honda Fit EV launches in 2012, and it might not even be an Accord plug-in hybrid, although the Accord will be the primary platform for initial testing of Honda’s new plug-in hybrid drive.
What we do know, however, is that Honda’s plug-in hybrid will perform much like Toyota’s.
According to Honda via GreenCarReports, its new plug-in hybrid drive should provide about 10-15 miles of EV range, much like has been reported in the Toyota Prius plug-in hybrid. And, while plug-in fans might mock the short EV range of both Toyota and Honda plug-in hybrids, the research overwhelmingly concludes that such small battery plug-in hybrids offer the most cost-effective, consumer-friendly plug-in option barring a major breakthrough in battery technology. Thus, if plug-ins are ever to move beyond just early adopters, cost-effectiveness will be critical.
Anyhow, the Honda plug-in hybrid will utilize a 6-kwh lithium-ion battery pack that can fully charge in 3-4 hours using a standard 120 volt outlet.
Thus, sometime in 2012 Honda will be selling mild IMA hybrids, full hybrids, plug-in hybrids and pure electric vehicles. This type of battery diversity seems to be a key trend for the next era of the auto industry, and has been in place at Ford, GM and Toyota for some time already.
