Honda’s hybrid history

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The idea of a combined petrol-electric drivetrain is nothing new. Ferdinand Porsche created the Lohner-Porsche at the turn of the 20^th century, but with 1800kg worth of batteries and almost 600kg of electric motors it wasn’t what you’d call… manoeuvrable. 

Almost 100 years later, Honda was an early adopter of modern hybrid technology, but the Insight couldn’t have been more different to Porsche’s early monster.

A small, two-seat city car, the Honda Insight became the first hybrid production car to be introduced in the United States and Europe, in 1999, and here in Australia in 2001. 

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Honda’s learnings from its groundbreaking original NSX supercar paid dividends, as the Insight used an aluminium body and panels to keep weight to less than 850kg in manual guise, despite the 120 nickel metal-hydride batteries placed behind the seats.

The 0.25Cd coefficient of drag also made the Insight the world’s slipperiest mass-produced vehicle. 

A 1.0-litre, three-cylinder petrol engine was assisted by a 10kW/49Nm electric motor and was claimed to sip just 3.4L/100km on the combined cycle, giving a range of almost 1200km from a 40-litre fuel tank. 

Hybrid technology quickly made its way into other models and development has continued over the past quarter-century. The hybrid system in today’s Hondas is very different to that introduced in the Insight. 

The Insight was a parallel hybrid, in that it primarily used the petrol engine with some electrical assistance. Series hybrids are also known as range-extenders, or extended range electric vehicles (EREVs), using electricity to power the wheels, but with the ability to top up their batteries using power generated by a petrol engine. 

A series-parallel hybrid is a mixture of the two, using a combination of both energy sources as required, but Honda’s e:HEV system is even cleverer than this.

Petrol engines are inefficient at low-to-medium speeds; it’s why they need gearboxes to get going. Conversely, electric motors are relatively inefficient at high speeds, especially at constant speeds without the opportunity to recover energy from braking. 

The e:HEV system uses this to its advantage. Its ace card is a lock-up clutch that allows the engine to be coupled or decoupled from the wheels as required. At low-to-medium speeds, where the electric motor is at its most efficient, the engine uncouples and the vehicle operates as a series hybrid, the engine topping up the battery as required. 

At high speeds, such as highway driving, the clutch couples the engine directly to the wheels, allowing it to operate in its most efficient state without taxing the electric drive system unnecessarily. Whereas a series-parallel hybrid shuffles between both energy sources constantly, Honda’s e:HEV system uses the right energy source for the right circumstance.  

E:HEV is a two-motor hybrid system, with the traction motor – which uses a magnet free from rare earth materials – directly attached to the driveshaft in order to recuperate energy when the vehicle is decelerating. The generator motor is connected directly to the engine, allowing it to generate electricity as required. 

Every model in the Honda range offers a hybrid variant, so whatever a customer’s vehicle requirements may be, they can enjoy the performance and efficiency benefits of e:HEV. All Honda hybrids are covered by the full five-year/unlimited kilometre warranty, with eight years of cover on the battery, in addition to five years of roadside assist. 

Honda’s One Price Promise makes buying easy, with the same drive-away price offered regardless of your state or territory, so you can be sure you’re getting the best deal. There are no added charges, not even for paint, and Honda’s capped price servicing offers further peace of mind, with the first five visits costing just $199 each. 

Honda HR-V

The most affordable way into a Honda hybrid is the HR-V, the third generation of the innovative small SUV. At $39,900 drive-away, the e:HEV X bridges the gap between the petrol-only Vi X and range-topping e:HEV L, with a 1.5-litre four-cylinder hybrid powertrain producing 96kW/236Nm and a claimed combined fuel consumption of just 4.3L/100km. 

Both e:HEV variants are able to seat four and have a useful 304-litre boot, coming standard with active safety equipment such as autonomous emergency braking, blind-spot monitoring and rear cross-traffic alert, as well as adaptive LED headlights, 18-inch wheels, heated front seats and a 9.0-inch touchscreen infotainment system with wireless Apple CarPlay and wired Android Auto.

The e:HEV X adds a heated steering wheel, hands-free electric tailgate and dual-zone climate control with rear ventilation. 

To see how the Honda HR-V stacks up against its rivals, use our comparison tool

Honda ZR-V

Those requiring a little extra space would do well to step up to the ZR-V, the Goldilocks of Honda’s SUV range – not too small, not too big. It now seats five with a larger 370-litre boot (expanding to 1302L with the rear seats folded) and accommodates the larger 2.0-litre four-cylinder hybrid powertrain with 135kW/315Nm, which still claims a combined 5.0L/100km. 

It’s available in one range-topping e:HEV LX variant priced at $54,900 drive-away, and comes with an extraordinary level of equipment, including heated front and rear seats with leather upholstery, a 12-speaker stereo with subwoofer, 11 airbags, a 360-degree multi-view camera and 10.2-inch digital driver’s display. 

To see how the Honda ZR-V stacks up against its rivals, use our comparison tool

Honda CR-V

The family-friendly choice is the sixth-generation Honda CR-V. Like the ZR-V, the hybrid drivetrain is offered in the range-topping e:HEV RS at $59,900 drive-away, which shares its smaller sibling’s loaded features list but adds 19-inch wheels, a panoramic sunroof, and leather seat, steering wheel and gear shifter trim with red stitching, plus adaptive cornering LED headlights and a sport mode for the hybrid drivetrain, as befits the RS badge. 

Claimed combined fuel consumption is a little higher at 5.5L/100km due to the CR-V’s greater size, but the benefit of this is more room in the rear row for growing bodies and an impressive 581L boot, which expands to a mammoth 1636L with the second row folded. 

To see how the Honda CR-V stacks up against its rivals, use our comparison tool

Honda Civic

But not everyone needs or wants an SUV and Honda’s passenger car range features two of the longest-running nameplates in the automotive world. The 11^th-generation Civic continues the model’s 50-plus-year history of practicality, reliability, efficiency and great dynamics.  

Available in two variants, the L at $49,900 drive-away and the LX at $55,900 drive-away, the Civic is Honda’s most fuel-efficient car with a claimed combined fuel consumption of just 4.2L/100km.  

Testament to Honda’s relentless pursuit of perfection is the Civic’s claimed urban fuel figure of 2.0L/100km, an almost 30 per cent improvement over the tiny, lightweight Insight, yet the Civic can seat five in comfort, carry their luggage in the 409L boot and features the latest in safety and technology. That’s progress. 

To see how the Honda Civic stacks up against its rivals, use our comparison tool

Honda Accord

It was the successful launch of the Civic that encouraged Honda to create a larger car and in 1976 the award-winning Accord was born. Like the Civic, it’s now into its 11^th generation and serves as Honda Australia’s flagship offering at $64,900 drive-away, introducing new technology to the brand. 

The new Accord features the first integration of Google built-in, including Google Assistant, Google Maps and Google Play, in addition to a new Honda Connect app interface and Honda SENSING, the latest in driver assistance technology thanks to an upgraded front camera and radar system. 

A larger 12.3-inch infotainment touchscreen includes wireless smartphone mirroring (Apple CarPlay and Android Auto) and an 11.7-inch head-up display allows drivers to keep their eyes on the road at all times. 

Despite being a much larger vehicle with 152kW/335Nm from Honda’s fourth-generation hybrid drivetrain, the Accord almost matches the Civic with a claimed combined fuel consumption of 4.3L/100km. A bigger car doesn’t necessarily mean greater running costs. 

As technology improves, Honda’s hybrid drivetrain will only become more powerful and efficient, further cementing the brand’s legacy as an automotive innovator. Best of all, the driver will be blissfully unaware of the magic happening under the bonnet. 

To see how the Honda Accord stacks up against its rivals, use our comparison tool

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