It feels like the era of downsizing engines and adding complex turbocharger systems may soon be coming to an end. Honda has announced that it is developing a new V-6 engine that will serve as an integral part of the automaker’s next-generation hybrid system, an engine that will power its future large hybrid electric vehicles (HEVs) in North America.
The new powertrain will be launched in 2027 and will have ‘powerful driving performance and high towing capacity’. We don’t know how much power the new hybrid system will produce, but the automaker’s current V-6 – a 3.5-liter engine that powers the Odyssey, Pilot and Ridgeline – generates 285 horsepower and can tow up to 5,000 pounds.
The new engine may not produce as much power as Honda aims for its HEVs to have 30 percent better fuel efficiency compared to current combustion engine offerings. The automaker also hopes to improve full-throttle acceleration performance by more than 10 percent, so the focus isn’t entirely on mpgs.
It is unclear whether the new hybrid system will be launched in an entirely new model or in an existing model. Honda recently updated the Pilot, but the current generation Ridgeline and Odyssey are nearing the end of their life cycles.
Photo by: Honda
Honda has already announced that it is developing new four-cylinder engines with 1.5 and 2.0 liter displacements for future hybrid vehicles, so combustion power is not dead yet. However, automakers are integrating electrification to improve efficiency and reduce dependence on gasoline.
In recent months, many other automakers have announced new commitments to gasoline engine development, including Cadillac, Bentley and BMW. As electric vehicle sales in the United States stagnate, companies are switching back to combustion energy.
Honda’s V-6 announcement was part of a larger showcase of several new technologies the company is developing. The company also showed off a next-generation mid-size platform, due to launch in 2027, that is stiffer and lighter than the current body structure.
If Honda’s new hybrid hits the market in less than two years, we can expect to see the products it will power very soon.
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