How the Honda Accord's Innovative Hybrid System Works

Most of the attention for Honda's Accord hybrid will come from its eye-popping 50-mpg EPA city rating and under-$30,000 starting price. But those with an eye for engineering will see a creative combination of new technology with elements from the Chevrolet Volt, Toyota Prius and Ford Fusion Hybrid.

"Honda put in all we had," said Koji Ninomiya, chief engineer for the Accord Hybrid, through an interpreter. "We did our best, and we ended up at 50 mpg."

The car, which gets to dealerships in late October, uses three drive modes to crack the 50-mpg figure -- something no other mid-sized car, including the European diesels, can match.

Ninomiya said 50 mpg or any specific number was not the goal when Honda engineers began nearly a decade ago studying a new hybrid powertrain to replace its current design.

"We considered everything, [including] driving resistance and regenerative braking. We made the powertrain all new, and the biggest purpose of this was to aim for the most efficient system in the world. As we tried to optimize the efficiency, we decided two motors will be best," he said.

Here's how the two electric motors work in the Accord Hybrid's three drive modes, EV, Hybrid and Engine.

• EV mode: The car is propelled only by an electric motor powered by the lithium ion battery pack. The top speed is about 60 mph, but the range is very limited, just a few miles. Once the battery is depleted, the car automatically switches to Hybrid mode.

• Hybrid mode: The Accord Hybrid works a lot like a Chevrolet Volt. The 2.0-liter gasoline engine powers a generator to create electricity for the electric motor. Honda calls the generator a motor, hence two motors. Only the electric motor, fed by the generator, moves the car in Hybrid mode.

• Engine mode: The electric motor is decoupled, and the Accord's Atkinson cycle gasoline engine drives the wheels directly through a one-gear transmission. In that highway gear -- similar in efficiency to a sixth gear on a manual transmission -- the gasoline engine runs in its sweet spot, delivering both strong acceleration when needed and high fuel economy.

Ford and Toyota hybrids also use Atkinson cycle engines. The Accord's Atkinson cycle 2.0-liter gasoline engine is a first for Honda.

In an Atkinson cycle engine, the intake valves remain open briefly during the compression stroke. That pushes some of the air in the cylinders into the intake manifold, which lowers the compression ratio. That enables fast, smooth starts, which is ideal for hybrids. The downside is that it reduces power.

To solve that problem, Honda engineers installed VTEC, a system that electronically controls the timing of the valves with camshafts that have two sets of lobes. One set of lobes is for the Atkinson cycle; the other is for normal combustion. The engine's computer switches back and forth between the two sets of lobes, based on engine speed and load.

Other new technologies include the car's innovative regenerative brakes, which send electricity to the battery. Regeneration begins the instant a driver's foot leaves the accelerator, not when the brake pedal is pressed as it does on other hybrids.

The air-cooled lithium ion battery pack fits in a compact case between the rear seat and the trunk. The pack does reduce trunk space. The hybrid's trunk is 12.7 cubic feet, while the regular Accord's trunk is 15.8.

Honda will offer three versions of the Accord Hybrid. The base model starts at $29,155; a midlevel E-XL version, at $31,905; and the loaded Touring, at $34,905. The prices exclude shipping; figures haven't been announced.

Honda is assembling the Accord Hybrid at its Marysville plant; it is the first time the Accord Hybrid has been built in North America.

The car's innovative powertrain could help win back some former Honda fans who deserted the brand for other makes with more advanced engines and transmissions.

In the past, Honda had stuck with nickel-metal hydride batteries in its hybrids while other automakers developed more efficient gasoline-electric powertrains that use lighter, stronger lithium ion batteries.

And in its gasoline-powered cars, the company has been slow to shift to automatic transmissions with more than four speeds.

The result of that strategy: middle-of-the-pack fuel economy ratings and a string of misfires dating back nearly a decade, including the failed 2004-06 Accord Hybrid, a slow selling Civic Hybrid and dismal sales for the Insight and CR-Z hybrids.

The Accord Hybrid's 50 mpg is "a pretty strong statement," said California dealer Dave Conant. He is CEO of The C.A.R. Group, which owns 13 stores, including four Honda outlets.

"For a long time Honda sort of owned the territory," he said. "I think a 50-mpg Accord is going to absolutely swing people back to thinking of Honda as a fuel economy leader. It's long overdue, honestly."

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New Accord Hybrid will get 50 mpg, Honda says

The 2014 Honda Accord Hybrid, which is built in Marysville, has a range of 673 miles.

The new Honda Accord Hybrid will have a best-in-class fuel economy rating of 50 mpg when it goes on sale later this year.

Honda released the fuel-economy figure yesterday for that vehicle, which is being assembled in Marysville.

“It’s an impressive number,” said John O’Dell, senior editor for Edmunds.com. “To have a good-size car with decent fuel economy is a good thing.”

The gas-electric hybrid will have an EPA fuel-economy rating of 50 mpg in the city,

45 mpg on the highway and a combined rating of 47 mpg. It will have a driving range of

673 miles, which is the most in its segment.

As is often the case with hybrids, the city rating is higher than on the highway because the vehicle uses the brakes to help charge the battery in stop-and-start situations.

The Accord’s fuel efficiency is the same or better than other midsize hybrids. The closest competitor is the Ford Fusion Hybrid, which has a rating of 47 mpg in the city and a combined rating of 47 mpg.

The Accord Hybrid is the first hybrid assembled in Ohio by any major automaker. Honda spent $18.8 million and added 50 jobs in Marysville to add hybrid production, the company said.

“We are extremely proud of that 50 (mpg) number,” said Steve Rodriguez, engineering project leader for the Accord Hybrid. “It’s great to be part of that.”

He pointed to several engineering decisions that helped to reduce the vehicle’s weight and improve its fuel economy. For example, the Accord Hybrid has a rear bumper beam made of aluminum instead of steel, he said.

Pricing for the vehicle has not yet been disclosed.

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency sets guidelines for automakers to test vehicles and come up with the fuel-economy figures that appear in the window sticker.

In some cases, the companies get it wrong and have to revise the numbers. That is what happened this summer with the Ford C-Max hybrid, following complaints from customers. Ford dropped the rating on the compact crossover from 47 mpg to 43 mpg and agreed to compensate buyers for the error.

“People should never take the EPA mileage rating as gospel,” O’Dell said. “It’s just a guide.”

Check out the Route 23 Honda Inventory here.

2013 Honda Accord Sport's Sweet Engine, Quality Interior More Than Make Up for Short List of Shortcomings

The 2013 Honda Accord Sport features a high quality interior designed lo last, room for five adults to sit comfortably, and the reliability of being the latest among a decades-long favorite model. Add in the buttery-smooth 189-horsepower, 2.4-liter four cylinder engine with a continuously variable transmission, and the Accord remains a stellar pick.

 

The evening before I was scheduled to return the 2013 Honda Accord Sport after a weeklong test, I stopped by the home of my friend and automotive guru, for his counsel and once-over. He listened to the engine idle, with the same diligence as a pediatrician and a stethoscope. He stepped inside and, as is customary, touched every surface, knob, and fabric. When opened the cubby underneath the radio controls, he noted the slight heft in the compartment’s open-close action, and smiled.

"You may not realize it now," he said, “but once you give it back, you’re going to miss the little things about how this car

works."

Generations of Accord owners have been convinced by its interior quality alone, and the latest model is no exception. All major touch points are constructed of, or covered in, materials that immediately look and feel like they will withstand the test of time. The neatly laid-out instrument panel and center stack are complemented by a multifunction steering wheel with redundant controls and voice commands. A two-tier display is standard across the model line, as are dual-zone climate control, a rear-view camera, an integrated trip computer, and a USB audio input. While many of its competitors use optional, advanced infotainment systems as a major draw, the exemplar Accord is perhaps the one with the fewest options.

Inside, the 2013 Honda Accord features a two-tiered instrumental panel as well as a multifunciton steering wheel with controls and voice command functionality.

The back seat has room for three adults, making it a five-seater capable of more than short, local trips. The flat seats, covered in slippery cloth, are the biggest disappointment, but leather upholstery on higher-trim models helps to remedy the problem.

It would be easy to argue that its interior is the latest Accord’s sweet spot, but then you turn the key and feel its harmonious pairing of engine and transmission. A buttery-smooth 189-hp, 2.4-liter four-cylinder engine practically sings as it revs higher, and provides more than adequate power for city and highway driving. My test car was equipped with a continuously variable transmission (CVT), which mimicked the gearing of a traditional automatic transmission, despite its gearless nature, without any of the vacuum-esque hum of less sophisticated transmissions.

Steering wheel-mounted paddle shifters, unique to the CVT Sport, allow for punchier upshifts and downshifts that do their best impersonation of a manual gearbox. Should you yearn to row your own gears, a 6-speed manual transmission – one of the best in the business, let alone the segment – is standard on all four-cylinder Accords.

Over several hundred miles of mixed city and highway driving, the Accord returned fuel economy as high as 36 mpg, and closer to 30 mpg overall. The CVT also matches and exceeds the fuel economy of the manual transmission.

Steering and braking performance is another area where the Accord excels over its competition. Careful chassis tuning helps it avoid the floaty numbness in the corners that is endemic to most midsize sedans. The Accord is more eager to play, and less nervous about reaching its limits, than others of its ilk, as substantiated by several hot track laps earlier in the year. Off the track, that level of performance rewards city and freeway-bound drivers in spades, in terms of confidence behind the wheel at any speed.

If this sounds like high praise, it is – but the Accord is not without subjective shortcomings. Its exterior styling is worth the postage on a letter home, but that’s about it. Inoffensive lines are reminiscent of the Hyundai Genesis sedan, albeit one sharper and more squared-off, but owners will still likely lose theirs in crowded parking lots. A complementary rear exhaust pipe, as well as 18-inch wheels that fill out the wheel wells, brighten the Accord’s otherwise plain bodywork, but do not exude much sportiness. Cabin noise is slightly louder than expected. And the digital screen could benefit from much more functionality on models not equipped with navigation, given its prominence in the cabin.

By any estimation, the Accord Sport is one of the best values for money, among its peers, at approximately $25,000 for the base model. Compare that against the Ford Fusion, Hyundai Sonata, Nissan Altima, and Toyota Camry, which tend to offer fewer features, power, and refinement per dollar, and the Accord makes even more sense.

It is attention paid to the small touches – from the treatment of the HVAC bezels to the sophisticated hum of the engine – that give this perennial bestseller a marked edge over its competitors.

It’s interesting calculus for a model that is Honda’s bread and butter, but part of the formula that makes the Accord proficient and accomplished from the first look.

See Route 23 Honda's Accord Inventory

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New Honda Accord Hybrid Poised to Return Class-Leading Fuel Efficiency

As a pioneering manufacturer of hybrid vehicles since the introduction of the Insight in 1999, it is no surprise that Honda keeps pushing the boundaries of gas-electric technology. The latest example is the all-new 2014 Honda Accord Hybrid, which is aiming to shake up the midsize-sedan category with class-leading fuel efficiency. Though official figures from the EPA are still pending, Honda estimates that the upcoming hybrid version of its best-selling vehicle will return 49 mpg in the city, topping every other hybrid midsize sedan.

The 2014 Honda Accord Hybrid will achieve its leading efficiency thanks to a brand-new 2.0-liter Atkinson-cycle engine paired with a 124-kilowatt electric motor and a lithium-ion battery. Three different driving modes will be available, including the options of running in gas- or electric-only modes, or using them in combination for maximum power. The Accord Hybrid will also be able to transition intelligently between modes when needed, delivering optimal power to the transmission while minimizing fuel consumption.

"Honda is going for the hybrid crown by taking its most popular vehicle and giving it similar fuel economy to the Prius," said Frank McLaughlin, general manager of a Greater Boston Honda dealership. "When the Honda Accord Hybrid goes on sale this October, it will attract those drivers who have been waiting out for a hybrid that doesn't require them to compromise on performance, space or refinement."

Technological innovations are not limited to the powertrain in the Accord Hybrid. Buyers will be able to opt for some of the most advanced safety features on the market, including Lane Departure Warning, Forward Collision Warning and the industry-first LaneWatch blind-spot display. A multi-angle rearview camera will provide additional points of view while displaying guidelines for increased safety. Drivers will also have available access to detailed information on performance, efficiency, entertainment and navigation through easy-to-read console and dashboard screens, including an eight-inch color display.

Bolstering Honda's lineup of electrified and alternative-fuel models, the Accord Hybrid joins its Accord Plug-In sibling, which went on sale earlier this year in certain regions and returns 115 MPGe combined on the city and highway. The Honda Insight remains an efficient option on the market, and the Honda Civic sedan offers both hybrid and natural-gas models. For a subcompact car that is also 100 percent electric, the limited-release Honda Fit EV is rated at an impressive 118 MPGe combined, while buyers who like to optimize responsiveness in their hybrid can opt for the sporty Honda CR-Z.

"Honda is continually expanding its line of green vehicles, and the popular midsize sedan category was the next logical step for developing its most advanced hybrid model to date," added McLaughlin. "The value of the Accord Hybrid comes not only from its fuel efficiency, but also from its intuitive safety features that you can expect to find in luxury sedans."

IIHS Names the 2013 Honda Civic & Accord Top Safety Picks!!

Of course we knew you could always depend on your Honda for a laundry list of positive things, we just thought a friendly reminder was in order!

Both the 2013 Civic and 2013 Accord were named Top Safety Picks for 2013!!

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2013 Honda Civic Sedan and Coupe are First Compact Cars to Earn IIHS Top Safety Pick+ Award

Everyone likes a good comeback story. When the 2013 Honda Civic emerged redesigned after just one year on the market, most of us were expecting some nicer interior materials and some sound deadening. Honda didn’t just settle for on-the-surface improvements, however, and it shows.

With new structural bracing that was added for the refresh, the 2013 Honda Civic sedan and coupe have earned the Insurance Institute of Highway Safety’s “Top Safety Pick+” designation, becoming the first compact car to do so.

The IIHS has designated “Top Safety Picks” for years, with each automaker successively improving designs until the award became fairly ubiquitous. In its offset crash testing procedures, it tested for a 40-percent front overlap, which centered most of a simulated impact on the bumper of a car. In August, the IIHS started testing for small-front overlap crashes, in which only 25 percent of a car’s front is hit, putting the same impact on a much smaller area. This weeded cars out from one another.

Honda first got word of the new IIHS testing in 2009 when most of its engineering had already been finished on the 2012 Civic as well as the larger Accord. But with the quick refresh on the Civic, it gave Honda some time to improve the structural design of the 2013 Civic and make it stronger.

“There’s very little chance of a life-threatening injury to the head or chest,” says Honda’s Chuck Thomas, Chief Engineer of Automotive Safety for Honda R&D Americas, Inc. in Raymond, Ohio, responsible for continuous safety improvements.

Honda has created a novel structure called ACE II–Advanced Compatibility Engineering–that’s designed to be “compatible” with safely crashing both larger and smaller vehicles into one another without the hazards typically associated with the size differentials. In the ACE II designed for the 2013 Honda Civic and larger Accord, the crash structure is set up relatively high within the body; Honda lowers its impact absorption point in larger vehicles like trucks, crossovers, and minivans.

Differentiating from standard car structures, the ACE front bumper beam is part of the body structure, aided by tertiary supports. This helps disperse forces across the whole body, using more high-tensile steel than what’s been used in previous-generation cars. Normal bumper beams are typically mounted at two low points and take front impacts well, but have suffered with the small-front overlap testing when more force has been distributed to the outside of the vehicle structure.

Honda boasts that not only does it have the first compact car to earn the IIHS’s Top Safety Pick+ designation, but it also has five cars total that have earned that title–Civic coupe and sedan, Accord coupe and sedan, and the Acura TL. Across all of Honda and Acura, 19 models are Top Safety Picks.

Check out the 2013 Accord & 2013 Civic Inventory!

2014 Honda Accord Plug-In Hybrid

So what's new for 2014 you ask? The 2014 Honda Accord Plug-In Hybrid is an all-new model!

Introduction

Honda recently redesigned the Accord for its ninth generation, improving the sedan's interior and exterior styling. For 2014, the Honda Accord gains a new model, the Accord Plug-In Hybrid. With this new addition to the lineup, Honda becomes one of the few automakers to offer a midsize family sedan in a plug-in hybrid configuration.

Unlike Honda's other hybrids such as the Insight, the Plug-In has an all-new hybrid system that's capable of accelerating the car using pure electric power. And as its name implies, the Plug-In can be recharged externally, thereby minimizing gas usage. Honda says the Accord Plug-In provides about 10-15 miles of pure electric range, after which point it switches over to normal hybrid operation. In regular hybrid mode, this Accord earns EPA estimates of 47 mpg city/46 mpg highway and 46 mpg combined.

Like the standard Accord, the plug-in hybrid offers similar features and comes in one well-appointed trim level based on the standard Accord Touring trim. That includes LED headlights, a rearview camera, Bluetooth, a navigation system and monitoring of vitals like charge status, charging stations and even enabled remote charging controlled by smartphone apps. Honda says a full battery charge on a 120-volt outlet will take three hours, while charging on a 240-volt outlet takes less than one hour.

For now Honda will only sell the Accord Plug-In Hybrid in California and New York, so consider yourself lucky if you're interested in the car and happen to live in one of those states. We've yet to fully test the 2014 Honda Accord Plug-In, but check back for a complete evaluation in the coming months.

Body Styles, Trim Levels, and Options

The 2014 Honda Accord Plug-In Hybrid comes in one well-equipped trim level.

Standard features include 17-inch alloy wheels, LED headlights, foglamps, dual-zone automatic climate control, full power accessories, a rearview camera, adaptive cruise control, a tilt-and-telescoping steering wheel, an auto-dimming rearview mirror, special "bio-fabric" upholstery, heated front and rear seats, an eight-way power driver seat (with power lumbar), driver memory settings and a leather-wrapped steering wheel. Electronic features include Bluetooth connectivity, an 8-inch touchscreen interface, voice recognition, a navigation system and a six-speaker sound system with satellite radio, an iPod/USB interface and smartphone app integration (HondaLink). Adaptive cruise control, lane-departure warning and a blind-spot monitor are also standard.

Powertrains and Performance

The 2014 Honda Accord Plug-In Hybrid is powered by a 2.0-liter four-cylinder engine combined with an electric motor. Together, they send a total of 196 horsepower to the front wheels through a continuously variable transmission (CVT). A 6.7 kWh lithium-ion battery pack powers the electric motor.

The Accord Plug-In Hybrid offers three driving modes: full electric, gas/electric (switches when battery capacity depletes to a specific threshold) and gasoline (for higher speeds or under high demand for acceleration). Additionally, two sub-modes tailor the Accord Plug-In's hybrid mode. "HV" acts as a conventional hybrid, blending gasoline and electric power for optimum fuel efficiency, while "HV Charge" does the same, while feeding energy back into the battery.

The EPA estimates stand at 47 mpg city/46 mpg highway and 46 mpg combined.

Safety

The 2014 Honda Accord Plug-In Hybrid comes with antilock disc brakes, stability and traction control, active front head restraints, front seat side airbags and side curtain airbags. Blind-spot monitoring, lane-departure and forward-collision warning systems are also standard.

Of note is the LaneWatch blind-spot system, which instantly switches the 8-inch screen's display to a low and expansive view of the passenger side of the car when the right turn signal is engaged. A camera in the right-side mirror dedicated to this function provides a confidence-inspiring view, and acclimating to catching the view in the center-dash display is quick and natural.

Interior Design and Special Features

With a few exceptions, the 2014 Honda Accord Plug-In Hybrid features an elegant and well-constructed cabin trimmed with high-quality materials that you could almost mistake for an Acura. The center stack embraces the spirit of legibility with an effective three-tier layout, capped at the top with an 8-inch display.

Despite the new Accord's slightly smaller exterior dimensions compared to the previous generation, its interior room remains impressive. There is plenty of leg and shoulder space for front occupants, and rear-seat passengers should be quite comfortable and happy. Road and tire noise -- often among Honda's traditional weaknesses -- are noticeably reduced in the 2014 Accord thanks in part to two active noise-cancellation systems plus improved aerodynamics.

We're also fond of the visibility afforded by the Accord cabin, which offers a lower beltline, slimmer roof pillars and a generous amount of glass. Unfortunately, the presence of the plug-in hybrid's battery pack means the rear seat does not fold down, thus limiting the Accord's cargo usefulness. The trunk, at 8.6 cubic feet, is also considerably smaller than the regular Accord's.

Driving Impressions

We've yet to test the 2014 Honda Accord Plug-In Hybrid, so check back for impressions on the car's new plug-in hybrid powertrain and handling capabilities.