Howdy Honda Fans,

We at Classic Honda hope your summer is well and your burgers are medium (perfect burger temperature and you know it).

Welcome back to the Honda Dealership newsletter that you actually want to read. If you are looking to catch up, visit our past issues at News.ClassicHonda.com

Here’s what we got for you this month:

• 4th Gen Honda 2-Motor Hybrid System

• Honda’s TrailSport SUVs Tackle Rebelle Rally

• “The Beast” Returns with Behind the Scene Look

4th Gen Honda 2-Motor Hybrid System

The 4th generation of the Honda 2-Motor Hybrid System introduced the biggest change in the platform since it was introduced in 2014. The new system rearranged the motors to allow for a bigger propulsion motor that effectively makes the 2023 Honda CR-V Hybrid feel more like an EV without needing to plug in and charge.

Translation: The propulsion, or traction, motor is what drives the wheels. A bigger motor means superior acceleration and more torque than a traditional Hybrid design. This is because the larger electric motor can drive the vehicle at higher speeds before needing to switch over to the gas engine.

TL;DR For the 4th Gen Honda Hybrid Improvements

1. Quieter

2. Increased Torque

3. Improved EV-Like Acceleration

4. Increased power to rear wheels in AWD models

5. Up To 1,000 lb Towing Capacity (Previously no rated towing ability)

How does it work?

In Honda's two-motor hybrid system, there are two key components:

1. Electric Propulsion Motor: This is the electric motor that directly drives the wheels of the car. Power for this motor comes from the vehicle's hybrid battery pack or from the electrical generator motor. This motor also functions as a generator during regenerative braking, converting kinetic energy back into electrical energy to recharge the hybrid battery.

2. Electric Generator Motor: This motor is primarily driven by the gasoline engine and acts as an electrical generator. It converts mechanical energy from the gasoline engine into electrical energy, which is used to power the electric propulsion motor or recharge the hybrid battery.

In this hybrid system, the gasoline engine doesn't typically drive the wheels directly. Instead, it provides mechanical power to the generator motor, effectively transforming it into electrical energy to power the propulsion motor or recharge the battery. However, under certain circumstances like steady-state cruising at highway speeds, the system can directly connect the gasoline engine to the drive wheels for better efficiency.

The new side-by-side arrangement of the motors has several significant benefits:

1. Improved Performance: The side-by-side configuration allows for a larger and more powerful propulsion motor. This results in increased torque output and a wider range of motor rpm, leading to better responsiveness and an enhanced driving experience.

2. Greater Efficiency: The new propulsion motor uses high-performance magnets that are made without heavy rare-earth metals. Along with the higher peak motor speed, this contributes to a more efficient system.

3. Increased Top Speed: The new arrangement enables a higher sustained top speed for the hybrid models. For instance, the 2023 CR-V hybrid models have a top speed that's 28% faster than their predecessors.

4. Versatility and Capability: The side-by-side layout enables the use of an additional direct-drive gearset with a new low-speed lockup clutch. This allows engine drive at urban speeds and gives the CR-V the ability to tow up to 1,000 pounds - a first for the two-motor hybrid system.

5. Enhanced Highway Experience: A high-speed lockup clutch is used in both CR-V and Accord, reducing engine rpm at highway speeds, contributing to a more relaxed driving environment, and enabling higher continuous top speeds.

6. Space Efficiency: The Intelligent Power Unit (IPU) and Power Control Unit (PCU) have been optimized for size, creating more room in the engine compartment for better noise management and leaving the same cargo space as non-hybrid counterparts.

The new 2-motor side-by-side design is available in the 2023 Honda Accord Hybrid and the 2023/2024 Honda CR-V Hybrid.

Hondas Go Off-Road: TrailSport SUVs Tackle Rebelle Rally

From October 12 - 21, three teams from Honda and an automotive journalist will take three rugged Honda Trail Sport SUVs on the 2023 Rebelle Rally. This all-women navigation event is an eight-day off-road competition through the stunning terrain and unforgiving desert conditions covering 2,500 kilometers across Nevada and California.

The upcoming Rebelle Rally has prompted Honda to tackle the challenge of navigating rugged terrain in order to test the handling, capability, and durability of the Honda Pilot TrailSport and Passport TrailSport.

Honda’s female engineers have been participating in the Rebelle Rally for five years. Their aim is to test the limits of Honda’s off-road components in harsh environments. The steel skid plates, custom-fabricated to protect the oil pan and fuel tank of previous Honda Rebelle Rally vehicles are now standard equipment on the new 2023 Honda Pilot TrailSport. Also included are raised off-road tuned suspension, trail-ready all-terrain tires, and expanded all-wheel drive system capabilities.

Three Honda teams are participating in the X-Cross category, two of which will have Honda associates as drivers and navigators. One of these teams will be from Honda's racing program, HART, based in Ohio. The team will consist of Liz Long, who works as a chassis reliability test engineer, and Hillary Tate, who is a project administrator. The second team will feature Serena Halterman and Nicole Rotondo, both of whom work as HPD trackside race engineers for INDYCAR. Honda Performance Development (HPD) has prepared a Passport TrailSport for this team.

Joining them in a Honda Pilot TrailSport are experienced Rebelle Rally participants: automotive journalist Mercedes Lilienthal as the driver and Emily Winslow as the navigator. Lilienthal has competed in three previous rallies, while Winslow is participating for the fifth time.

The Rebelle Rally is not focused on speed but rather strategic navigation through challenging terrain. Teams rely on traditional tools like maps, compasses, and headings to find hidden checkpoints and earn points, aiming to reach the finish line each day.

The competition is a rigorous test that helps Honda Engineering build rugged versions of their vehicles for adventure enthusiasts like the Honda Pilot TrailSport and Honda Passport TrailSport editions.

Technology Behind “The Beast”: IndyCar Engine Powers SUV

Honda is back with an all-new video into the construction of the CR-V Hybrid Racer, the wild 800-horsepower SUV that was dubbed “The Beast”.

This 14-month-long project is what you get when Honda does not have to follow any rule book and gets to have fun building something cool from the ground up.

The Beast is a rolling laboratory built completely by Honda engineers for the continued development of their electrified motorsports programs. HPD combined numerous tech and designs from other projects to create this fun car, while tackling and exploring the “What If’s.”

Hybrid-electric models are a key step in Honda's electrification strategy, with the all-new CR-V hybrid, Accord hybrid, and soon a Civic hybrid featuring Honda's new, more powerful, 4th-generation two-motor-hybrid-electric system.

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• 08/06 - Cars and Coffee Central Florida @ Drive Shack

• 08/13 - Orlando Cars and Coffee @ Donut Central

• 08/18 - The Promenade’s Fired-Up Fridays

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