Honda has announced plans to launch no fewer than 13 next-generation hybrid cars by the end of the decade. All will feature what the brand claims will be the “world’s most efficient powertrain” and all will arrive within a four-year timeframe starting in 2027.
Honda is still moving forwards with its radical new ‘0 Series’ electric cars, the first of which is due to launch next year, however the recent slowdown in EV sales has caused the brand to reassess some of its predictions. For instance, it no longer believes 30 per cent of its global sales will be from EVs by 2030, as previously thought, leading to some reevaluating of its EV strategy and product plan.
But while “the expansion of the EV market has fallen behind the initial projection”, as Honda CEO Toshihiro Mibe put it when announcing the brand’s new roadmap, “demand for hybrid-electric vehicles (HEVs) is growing.
“We are forecasting that the demand for HEVs will continue to grow toward 2030, as they contribute to the reduction of CO2 emissions, without the issue of needing charging infrastructure.” These new hybrid models will “play a key role during the transition period” before EVs become a lot more popular.
Honda’s next-generation hybrid technology
Honda’s next-generation e:HEV hybrid powertrain will be an evolution of its two-motor system, which it introduced back in 2014. This sees a petrol engine work together with two electric motors, one used to drive the wheels and another to generate energy for the car’s battery. The combustion engine can drive the wheels, mainly on the motorway to maximise efficiency.
