Honda Accord plug-in hybrid a chance for Australia | CarAdvice

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Honda Accord plug-in hybrid a chance for Australia

HONDA ACCORD
By Tim Beissmann
FIND DEALS

Honda Australia says it is considering adding the all-new Honda Accord plug-in hybrid sedan to its local line-up following the unveiling of the fuel-efficient family car in the US.

The Honda Accord PHEV (Plug-in Hybrid Electric Vehicle) is based on the ninth-generation Accord sedan, which was revealed last month and goes on sale next week in North America.

The Accord plug-in is set to follow early in 2013, giving customers another green alternative in the medium/large car segment.

The petrol-powered Honda Accord sedan is set to reach local showrooms in mid-2013, and while Honda Australia says the plug-in version is under consideration for out market, it has no indication of when it could arrive at this stage.

The Honda Accord PHEV teams a 102kW 2.0-litre four-cylinder petrol engine with a 124kW electric motor and a 6.7kWh lithium-ion battery pack, creating a combined peak power output of 147kW.

Honda anticipates the Accord PHEV will boast equivalent combined cycle fuel consumption of better than 2.4 litres per 100km. The battery, which can be fully recharged from a 120-volt wall socket in less than three hours and from a 240-volt point in less than 60 minutes, is positioned over the rear axle to limit its impact on cabin and boot space.

Owners will be able to keep track of the charge status and driving range, and allow them to locate charging stations and schedule recharges, receive charge completion notifications and pre-condition the vehicle’s climate control.

Outside, the Accord PHEV is distinguished from the non-hybrid sedan by its deep grille with signature blue inserts, a more muscular front bumper, charging port over the left front guard, unique 17-inch alloy wheels, and tweaks to the lower rear bumper with a redesign of the tailpipes.

Less obvious is the lightweight aluminium front sub-frame, bonnet, rear bumper beam and brake pedal, as well as low rolling-resistance tyres, low-friction wheel bearings and aerodynamic enhancements to the underbody, wheel covers and spoiler.

The Accord PHEV boasts an extensive standard features list, including LED headlights, push-button start, adaptive cruise control, lane departure warning, forward collision warning, satellite navigation with voice recognition, dual-zone climate control, internet radio and Bluetooth connectivity, and a number of other comfort and convenience features.

The Honda Accord plug-in hybrid will be manufactured in Sayama, Japan.


 

  • Luke Brinsmead

    Good fuel efficiency, uninspiring design – should use the Accord Euro design.

    • Zaccy16

      Yeah they should! the engine sounds impressive though

  • Saltypigeon

    The Accord just gets uglier every year

    • Crummydore

      Not very nice to look at whatsoever, and the rear end looks like the Sonata from a few years back!!!

      I can’t imagine Honda would let that into Australia…. would they?!?

      • Birty_B

        That’s exactly what I thought, take away that big god awful grille and the front does too. 

    • Crummydore

       Interior is ok though.

  • Thomas

    2.4l/100km and fully charge less than 60mins!!! i will get one ^.^

  • tsport100

    102kW 2.0-litre four-cylinder petrol engine + a 124kW electric motor = combined peak power output of 147kW ???

    • Acfsambo

      The electric motor output falls over rpm, so when the engine reaches peak, the electric motor has fallen in power. 

      • tsport100

        I hate to tell you mate but the formula is torque x RPM = Power.

        • F1

          With a Normal Engine the more Torque you have across the rev range and into the upper RPM the more power you engine makes..

          That’s why Diesels don’t have much power because their torque is only at low rpm 1000-3000rpm and it falls of..

          Generally you get like Petrol cars with 270Kw of power and 400Nm of Torque where as you get diesels with 180Kw and 500Nm of torque

          The more power the faster your car is eventually.

  • Aus_poppa

    Unlike previous Accord hybrids which were US market and US produced products I see that this car will be produced in Japan, possibly for the Japanese domestic market as well as for the USA. If so, then this would be a definite starter for Australia as it will be made in RHD.

  • Simon

    Jeeeezus…..eeewwww. I can not understand how Honda manages to make each subsequent Accord uglier than its predecessor! That front end is like something out of a Transformers movie.

    • Zaccy16

      Exactly! the current gen looks decent but this one looks like a deformed version of the current one! the mazda 6 and ford mondeo looks much better

  • Phil

    No mention of the EV only range. But with a puny 6.7Kwh battery, I’d estimate 30km. Hardly worth the effort to plug it in.

    • pedro phil

      Agreed – it’s about as pointless as the BMW i8′s 7.2 kWh battery. I don’t know why manufacturers bother with these poor, token efforts at plug-in vehicles. BMW and Honda should know and be doing better.

    • matt

      really coz i and many many others do less then 30 a day at the least so there is a point to it i guess

  • crouchy35

    What is with the blue grille accent a la Toyota Hybrid badge?

    Is blue the motor industries new way of saying green?

  • Roy

    You couldn’t pick worse wheels if you tried

  • Henry Toussaint

    Whats the point of two screens? combine it in the sat nav screen. The Toyota Kluger is like that as well in the ‘Grande’ Spec..Plus, those wheels are shocking!

  • http://www.facebook.com/antmindel Anthony Mindel

    The new regular Accord is WAY better looking than this ugly hybrid…

  • http://www.facebook.com/people/Karl-Sass/100000921334936 Karl Sass

    240v X 10a = 2.4kWh, so how does it charge a 6.7kWh battery in one hour???  6.7 divided by 2.4 = 2.8 (hours). 
    Am I missing something?

  • Shak

    The regular Accord was actually quite handsome. Although that isnt to say this car is ugly, but it’s definitely lost the classiness that the new Accord design had. otherwise the tech seems very impressive coming from Honda, and the interior is also really nice.

  • Toddww

    Ugly, Ugly, Ugly – no wonder the Koreans are killing the Japs from a styling perspective [ IMO ].

  • F1

    This makes the Sonata Hybrid very good looking..