Honda is set to make some serious modifications to the CR-V family in Europe, and the Hybrid Prototype that’s coming to the 2017 Frankfurt Motor Show previews all of them.
It features the brand’s first-ever electrified SUV powertrain available in Europe, which combines a 2.0-liter i-VTEC four-cylinder Atkinson cycle gasoline engine, with an electric propulsion motor, and a separate electric generator motor.
The automaker says that the hybrid system doesn’t need a conventional transmission, so instead they went with a single fixed-gear ratio that enables “a smooth transfer of torque within the system”, and creates “a direct connection between moving components”, says Honda.
Moreover, the person behind the wheel does not need to adjust between the usual driving modes – EV, Hybrid, and Engine, as the i-MMD (Intelligent Multi-Mode Drive) system determines how to use the fuel and electrical energy in the most efficient way. In most urban driving situations, the CR-V will move between Hybrid and EV Drive, for optimum efficiency, and when the Engine Drive is engaged, drivers have an ‘on-demand’ peak power boost available from the electric propulsion motor.
Besides signaling the launch of the new CR-V Hybrid in Europe, Honda’s Frankfurt Prototype also previews its evolutionary design, described as “sophisticated and sport”. The vehicle has a larger footprint than its predecessor, and comes with fresh styling, sharper contours on the bonnet and rear quarters, and the brand’s latest front end.
Honda will present the CR-V Hybrid Prototype during the 2017 Frankfurt Motor Show, with the production version to be officially launched in Europe next year. The new CR-V will also be available with a 1.5-liter VTEC Turbo petrol engine, mated to a 6-speed manual or a CVT transmission, and it won’t feature a diesel powertrain in Europe.
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