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The Honda SUV e: concept wasn’t the only electrified vehicle to make its debut at this year’s Beijing Auto Show, as the Japanese automaker also unveiled the new CR-V PHEV. This will be the first Honda vehicle introduced in China equipped with a plug-in hybrid system and will go on sale early next year.
In China, the plug-in hybrid model will be marketed as the Sport Hybrid e +, joining the Sport Hybrid and Sport Turbo in the brand’s Chinese lineup. While the CR-V PHEV looks quite similar to its non-PHEV counterparts, there are specific cues to help create some visual distinction. Up front, the LED headlamp clusters feature wavy graphics within them, flanking a tri-louver grille and blue-tinted Honda logo; the latter also applies to the regular hybrid model.
The CR-V PHEV also appears to sport a gloss black finish for the lower apron trim and the trim around the wheel arches, along with a unique wheel design. An “e: PHEV” badge on the tailgate further marks it as a plug-in hybrid model, with everything else quite familiar. There is no interior image yet, but some minor changes and additional controls for the powertrain are expected.
On that mention, Honda says the model will be powered by its dual-engine Sport Hybrid i-MMD system, which is also found in the Accord Hybrid and CR-V Hybrid. However, the company did not reference any of those models and instead mentions the Clarity Plug-in Hybrid in its press materials.
What we do know is that the setup consists of an Atkinson cycle DOHC i-VTEC gasoline engine, an electric motor, eCVT, and a lithium-ion battery, with unknown outputs. Its operation is the same as that of the hybrid versions of the Accord and CR-V, with the motor responsible for generating electricity for the electric motor that drives the wheels in most situations. However, at highway speeds, a lockup clutch connects the engine to a single-ratio gearbox to drive the wheels directly.
As for the specifications of the Clarity PHEV sold in Japan, the CR-V PHEV could feature an electric motor of 184 hp and 315 Nm of torque, along with a 1.5-liter four-cylinder mill with 105 hp and 134 Nm. The latter is smaller in capacity than what the Accord Hybrid and CR-V Hybrid use (a 2.0-liter), but this could be done to ensure that the CR-V PHEV enters a lower tax bracket in China.
Honda China also listed the efficiency figures for the Japanese JC08 sedan, which include an all-electric range of 114.6 km (top speed of the electric vehicle is 160 km / h) and a maximum hybrid range of 842.6 km. The key to the impressive range of electric vehicles is a 17 kWh lithium-ion battery, which has a substantially higher energy capacity compared to the CR-V Hybrid’s 1.4 kWh unit.
Based on the uploaded video, the CR-V PHEV will also support AC charging with a Type 2 connection. We’ll only know more when Honda China releases detailed specs closer to the model’s launch date. Is the plug-in hybrid SUV something that should be offered in Malaysia?
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