If you have been waiting to experience Honda's hybrid technology to make an efficiency leap into your next crossover vehicle, you will be excited to learn that the Honda CR-V has a hybrid version.
Honda’s two-motor hybrid powertrain is finally available on the 2020 CR-V Hybrid model. The new CR-V Hybrid debuts in the USA during autumn of 2020. The CR-V Hybrid comes standard with front-wheel drive (FWD) or optional all-wheel drive (AWD). Honda will continue to offer the bestselling, gasoline-powered CR-V with FWD or optional AWD.
Now that the wait is over for Honda’s hybrid crossover keep reading to get all the information you need to know about the 2020 CR-V Hybrid. VEHQ took a closer look at how Honda’s two-motor hybrid system works. We want to share with you the pros and cons of owning a hybrid car.
How Does Honda CR-V Hybrid Work?
The CR-V Hybrid is powered by a 2.0L Atkinson cycle gasoline engine capable of 212-horsepower and two electric, lithium-ion battery-powered motors. The Hybrid does not have a conventional transmission. Instead, Honda’s Intelligent Multi-Mode Drive system (i-MMD) enables the 2.0L Atkinson cycle engine, one propulsion motor, and one generator motor to work seamlessly together. Shifting into either of three driving modes depending on existing driving conditions.
- Engine Drive - used during highway driving at sustained, high speeds, Engine Drive provides power from the gasoline engine.
- Electric Drive - used during sustained low speeds or acceleration from a standstill, Electric Drive provides power from the lithium-ion battery-powered electric motors. Electric Drive runs practically silently and produces zero emissions.
- Hybrid Drive - used for an immediate response, such as when accelerating at speed, the gasoline engine and electric motors work together to provide power during Hybrid Drive.
An indicator light on the Driver Information Interface tells you what drive mode the i-MMD system is using.
How Do You Charge the Hybrid CR-V?
The Honda CR-V Hybrid's Intelligent Power Unit (IPU) lithium-ion battery recharges automatically without driver intervention or the need to plug-in. There are two battery charging methods designed into this hybrid crossover.
- By merely driving the CR-V Hybrid, the engine provides power through the generator motor to charge the battery. Battery status is provided on a gauge on the dashboard. The generator begins to recharge the battery whenever a top-up is needed.
- Regenerative braking converts otherwise wasted energy into electricity, storing the excess energy in the hybrid CR-V's battery.
Fully charged, the CR-V Hybrid has an Electric Drive mode driving range of 1.2 miles (2 kilometers).
Does the Honda CR-V Hybrid have AWD?
Yes! The CR-V is Honda's first-ever AWD hybrid vehicle. Add Honda’s optional Real Time AWD with Intelligent Control to the CR-V Hybrid for exceptional handling and traction. The responsive, Real-Time automatic all-wheel-drive system reacts immediately, activating an electronic clutch to send power to the wheels that slip. Honda’s base CR-V Hybrid model is a front-wheel-drive (FWD) vehicle.
Is Honda CR-V Available in the USA?
The 2020 CR-V Hybrid model is Honda’s first hybrid crossover to be available in the USA. Honda's CR-V Hybrid model has already been well-received in Europe. The recommended MSRP is yet to be determined in the United States for the CR-V Hybrid. Honda plans to release the Hybrid CR-V in the USA during autumn of 2020. Honda will continue to offer a conventional, gasoline engine powered CR-V crossover.
The Pros and Cons of Owning a Hybrid Honda CR-V
Hybrid CR-V Pros:
- Hybrid cars run cleaner and quieter than gasoline-powered vehicles. When running on pure electric power, hybrids produce zero emissions. Running on Hybrid Drive mode on the CR-V will significantly reduce emissions. Running on Electric Drive mode on the CR-V Hybrid is practically silent with zero emissions.
- The fuel economy of hybrid cars is exceptional. Although it has not yet been rated, Honda anticipates the 2020 CR-V Hybrid will have a 50% improvement in fuel economy. To compare, Honda’s 2019 CR-V AWD has an EPA rating of 25 mpg for city driving, 31 mpg for highway driving, and 27 mpg combined.
- The lightweight build of hybrid cars assists with maintaining high fuel efficiency.
- Less maintenance is required of a hybrid car because there is a less overall strain on the car’s gasoline engine. Gasoline engines do not run in hybrids when electric motors power the vehicle, particularly during city driving at low speeds with frequent stops. In hybrid cars, gasoline engines experience less wear over a more extended period.
- Hybrid cars depreciate less than gasoline-powered cars. Hybrid technology has proven itself reliable, shifting the consumer mindset toward a more positive understanding of hybrids. The high fuel efficiency of the Hybrid saves consumers money over time, lowering the overall ownership cost. Hybrid cars maintain their value.
- Driver incentives, depending on the state where you live, can be applied to hybrid car ownership. For instance, many states allow Hybrid or low emission cars to use the HOV lane even if the driver is the only person in the vehicle.
Hybrid CR-V Cons:
- Hybrids are built for endurance, not speed. A hybrid car produces slightly less power output than a gasoline-powered vehicle. The enhanced responsiveness of Honda’s two-motor hybrid technology might make it difficult to notice, but hybrids tend to lag during acceleration.
- Designing a car with multiple engines and a massive lithium-ion battery makes weight distribution a challenge. Hybrids are built with lightweight materials and often do not have performance-enhancing suspensions. Handling can be compromised, depending on the location of the battery. The position of the CR-V Hybrid's battery beneath the cargo floor has eliminated third-row seating and the spare tire.
- Mechanics are not yet equipped with the tools or technological skills necessary to efficiently work on a hybrid so that maintenance costs can be generally higher than for conventional gasoline-powered cars.
- High voltage, lithium-ion batteries located inside hybrid cars can be lethal in the event of an accident.
- Historically, the initial MSRP for hybrid cars has been higher than for conventional gasoline-powered vehicles, but the initial cost is beginning to drop as the demand for hybrid cars increases.
Honda has produced the CR-V, bestselling crossover for nearly 20-years. It is easy to see that Honda's inclusion of hybrid technology might easily keep the CR-V at the top of the list for most popular crossovers.
When talking about vehicles one thing that comes into our mind is gas and choosing the perfect vehicle is somewhat of a challenge, Check out Which SUV has the Best Gas Mileage?.
More about the Honda CRV
Looking to buy a Honda CR-V? We think you'll find these articles interesting too -
Is the Honda CR-V an AWD or 4-WD?