Honda Commited to fuel economy

by John Leblanc

MOTEGI, JAPAN — Honda, like most of its rival Japanese automakers, has been taking it on the chin of late when it comes to its perceived lack of engineering and product innovation.

With up-to-date features like direct-injected and turbocharged engines and multi-gear or continuously variable (CVT) transmissions more than likely found in rivals from Germany, America or Korea, many customers perceive that Japanese automakers have lost their engineering mojo, or have forgotten how to innovate, after years of being at the top of the sales charts.

The day before it rolled out three concepts at the Tokyo Motor Show that showcased what we may be driving in 2020, Honda unveiled a slew of state-of-the-art technologies at the Twin Ring Motegi Super Speedway that will appear in new cars as early as next year.

The message was clear to the attending media: Honda is back in the business of innovation, and aims to be a leader in fuel economy.

“The first task, when I started as president, was to get ahead of (the competition), particularly in the area of hybrid batteries and fuel cells,” said Honda Motor CEO Takanobu Ito, who’s been with the company since 1978 and took over the top job in 2009.

Ito also said that Honda wants to have "the No. 1 fuel economy in each (vehicle) category within the next three years."

To get there, and under the marketing banner of “Earth Dreams,” the automaker is rolling out a family of new hybrid and gas engines, CVTs, and all-wheel-drive systems, all slated to appear in new models as early as next year.

On the hybrid front, Honda’s new 2013 midsize Accord (due late next year) will receive a plug-in electric hybrid version of the company’s new “two-mode” gas-electric system.

When mated with a four-cylinder engine, Honda is claiming equal power to the existing Toyota Camry Hybrid (200 hp), but better fuel economy than the Toyota’s 4.7L/100 km combined rating.

Technically, Honda’s new two-mode hybrid uses a twin-cam profile. However, instead of using the automaker’s traditional VTEC (Variable Valve Timing and Lift Electronic Control) profile for more power, the hybrid version shifts between an Atkinson cycle (for leaner fuel burning), and the traditional Otto cycle (for more power , depending on the torque load on the engine).

Honda says the system can also be combined with a V6, driven in electric-only mode for up 24 km, electric-and-gas for accelerating, or gas-only for highway cruising.

Once a leader, Honda is catching up to the competition by adding direct-injection and double overhead cams to its mainstream gas engines.

Dubbed “i-VTEC, the new engines promise more power and “at least” a 10 per cent fuel economy advantage over the outgoing powerplants.

For example, the 2013 Accord will get a new i-VTEC 2.4-litre four-cylinder with 181 hp and 177 lb.-ft. of torque (all preliminary ratings), up 4 hp and 16 lb.-ft., respectively, from the existing Accord four.

As well, a new 1.8L i-VTEC, with 148 hp and 133 lb.-ft. (gains of 8 hp and 5 lb.-ft.) may end up in the refreshed 2013 compact Civic, while a new 1.5 i-VTEC with 127 hp and 111 lb.-ft. (10 hp and 5 lb.-ft.) could find a home in the subcompact Fit.

Shying away from CVTs in the past, Honda is now working on three new units — one for mid-sized cars such as the Accord, and two for smaller vehicles such as the Civic and Fit — that will become the base automatic transmissions for all four-cylinder engines.

While competitor CVTs have a "rubber band" feeling similar to a slipping clutch under acceleration, the Honda system I drove at Motegi, in an Acura TSX test mule with the new i-VTEC 2.4, felt more like a traditional torque converter automatic, free of the high-pitch whine usually associated with CVTs.

Honda says the new i-VTEC’s engine control software has been remapped so there is less “hunting” for revs during hard acceleration.

Honda’s premium Acura brand will also see immediate benefits from the automaker’s recommitment to new tech.

“We are not satisfied with the brand’s current positioning. We want to make it more unique and sporty. We want to make it into a ‘high-end’ brand,” said Ito.

The midsize Acura TL sports sedan will receive a new 3.5-litre i-VTEC V6, now with 310 hp and 265 lb.-ft. of torque — 30 more horsepower and 11 more lb.-ft. than the current car’s base six.

More interestingly, Honda also had on hand an Accord engineering test mule that encompassed many of the new technologies that may end up in the oft-rumoured Acura NSX replacement.
Called Electric Super Handling-All-Wheel-Drive, and in the prototype we drove, a new i-VTEC 3.5-litre V6 was mated to an also-new seven-speed dual-clutch auto box with an integrated hybrid-electric motor that also uses the energy from regenerative braking to provide the power boost. All four wheels are independently powered, depending on the car’s cornering and traction needs.

When pressed, Honda engineers told us the hybrid powertrain was rated “well above 300 hp.”
But by the way the car shot forward from rest, my seat-of-the-pants were telling me that that number could be closer to 400 hp.

Speculation in the Motegi paddock was that a new concept car, in the spirit of the Acura NSX super car, would encompass all of the Accord Electric SH-AWD test mule’s new hardware, and is set to appear at next January’s Detroit auto show.

When asked about such a car, Ito replied, “I don’t know. Stay tuned!”

Source;
http://www.wheels.ca/article/801538

Tokyo Motor Show: Honda’s new technology put to the test

By Graeme FletcherTokyo • In terms of North American content, the 42nd edition of the Tokyo Motor Show was a tad thin. However, that is not to say there was little going on. On the contrary, the sprawling show provided a ton of insight into how the world is about to unfold. Honda, a company that has been criticized for being slow to advance its powertrain technology, revealed where it is heading in the next few years, while the long-awaited Subaru/Toyota collaboration finally surfaced in road-going livery.

In Honda’s case, the technology was not only on display at the show, I had the opportunity to put it through its paces. The first is a range of new engines that combine direct injection with Honda’s iVTEC valve-lift system and variable cam phasing. The net result is more power and better economy in all cases. The unit up for testing was the 2.4-litre four-cylinder. It puts out 181 horsepower and 177 pound-feet of torque while being five per cent more fuel-efficient that its predecessor. On the track, this engine pulled strongly over a much broader range — Hondas typically have to be revved to access their twisting power.

The bigger surprise was found in Honda’s intention to shift from traditional automatics toward a range of continuously variable transmissions (CVTs). While I’m not a CVT fan, Honda’s design has two key features going for it. First, unlike most, launch is crisp because the engine’s torque is not reduced to prevent the CVT’s belt from slipping. This brings a significantly stronger tip-in response. More importantly, the shift logic is stepped (as in pre-programmed gears), which means it does not have that really annoying motorboating drone under hard acceleration.

The other engine that would serve Canada very well is an all-new 1.6L turbodiesel. This new engine produces the same output as the current 2.2L turbodiesel (140 hp and 250 lb-ft of torque) it is replacing without sacrificing the linearity and pull that defines the diesel engine. As an aside, driving a European Civic equipped with the 2.2L turbodiesel proved to be a truly rewarding experience — it has fresh looks to go along with the utility of its hatchback design. It would do well in Canada.

The second new technology was a new electric version of Honda’s Super Handling All Wheel Drive (SH-AWD) system. This iteration system uses a 3.5L V6 that’s married to a seven-speed twin-clutch transmission to drive the front wheels, while the rear wheels are driven by two separate electric motors. During cornering, the outside electric motor drives that wheel faster. At the same time, the inner motor applies a negative torque — the slowing effect amplifies turn-in response. The net result is a faster-acting torque vectoring system. The beauty of the system is the manner in which it adds that prized ride-on-rails sensation through a corner. Through the test course, the turn-in proved to be as crisp as it was immediate.

This all-wheel-drive iteration is, in a word, superb. It not only hones the European Accord tester’s handling, it transforms it into a seriously quick ride. Credit goes to two important aspects. First, the new 3.5L V6 is good for 300-plus horsepower; the electric motors then chip in with another 27 hp each. Honda is not saying how much torque they contribute to the fun factor but, based on the low-end grunt, each has to contribute at least 150 lb-ft of torque.

The design is also capable of pulling away under electric power alone. The rear motors drive the car seamlessly until the driver stands on it — then look out. Even in the Accord tester it could almost be described as too much power. The seven-speed twin-clutch also adds to overall driveability — the shifts, which are initiated through paddle shifters, are blindingly quick, which adds to the overall responsiveness.

The engineers were coy about the size of the battery the new SH-AWD system uses, but it will have to be close to a five kilowatt/hour unit. The reason is twofold. First, there must be enough oomph to provide that delicious launch. More importantly, the battery must be large enough to support the SH-AWD functions when needed after said launch. This system is said to be the driving force behind the next-generation NSX. However, if this car were to remain true to its predecessor, it would mean a mid-mounted gasoline engine with the electric motors sitting up front.

Subaru showcased its new BRZ, the lightweight sports car it shares with Toyota. It is powered by Subaru’s traditional flat-four boxer engine and produces 197 hp and 151 lb-ft of torque. Power is relayed to the wheels through a choice of six-speed manual or six-speed manumatic transmission. Inside, the cabin is highlighted by its front sport bucket seats and a tachometer that takes centre stage in the instrument cluster — both speak to the BRZ’s sportier intentions. The layout is also very much 2+2 in nature. Rear-seat leg space is tight. Other anomalies? First, this is a rear-drive car.

When it lands in Canada, the BRZ’s introduction is going to pose a dilemma for Subaru given that the company stresses its advanced symmetrical all-wheel-drive system, which is standard across its lineup. Secondly, it is a stylistic orphan.

Source;
http://life.nationalpost.com/2011/12/01/tokyo-motor-show-hondas-new-technology-put-to-the-test/