Honda prepares 13 new hybrids with the world’s most efficient internal-combustion engine

Battery-electric vehicles are not receiving the level of uptake that had been expected. Honda is the latest manufacturer to take a step back and adjust its strategy, directing investment towards the technology now gaining momentum: hybrids.

Between 2027 and 2030, the brand will introduce 13 new hybrids which, it says, will help it navigate this transition period towards fully electric mobility. Honda still believes electric vehicles are the ideal answer for achieving carbon neutrality in the long term.

The arrival of this new hybrid generation is not entirely new - it had already been announced - but Honda has now revealed that it will use what it calls the “world’s most efficient internal-combustion engine”.

More efficient Honda e:HEV system

Few details have yet been disclosed, including which model will debut the new powertrain. However, it will be offered in 1.5-litre and 2.0-litre forms, matching the engine capacities currently available in the Jazz and Civic.

It remains unclear whether these are all-new units or developments of the existing engines, but Honda says one thing is certain: they will be substantially more efficient.

Looking solely at petrol engines, efficiency is not usually a strong argument. Toyota’s 2.0-litre and 2.5-litre Dynamic Force engine family currently claims the highest thermal efficiency, at 40% or 41% when incorporated into a hybrid system. The manufacturer is already developing a new engine generation that will be more efficient while also delivering greater performance.

Nissan, meanwhile, is developing a petrol engine with 50% thermal efficiency - significantly higher than that of current diesel engines - although it will operate exclusively as a generator in hybrid systems, rather than being connected to the wheels. Its specialised role, which restricts operation to a narrow, most efficient rev range, is one of the measures enabling it to reach 50%.

Honda’s approach is different. Its hybrid system uses a series-parallel layout, meaning the combustion engine provides propulsion in certain driving situations - and it remains to be seen whether this will continue with the next generation.

Wider efficient operating range

To improve efficiency, Honda says these engines will be able to run at peak efficiency across a broader rev range. As an example, the Japanese brand states that the 1.5-litre unit will deliver maximum torque over a rev band expanded by 40%, without compromising performance. It will offer “the best thermal performance on the market”, Honda guarantees.

Honda hybrid costs and weight reductions

Alongside the more efficient petrol engine, Honda says the electric unit within the hybrid system will be lighter and more compact than current versions. The new hybrid system will also debut on a new platform, which is expected to cut vehicle weight by 90 kg. Overall, Honda anticipates a 10% reduction in fuel consumption.

There are further assurances on the manufacturing side. Honda says the 13 models planned for 2027 to 2030 will cost less to build, owing to the sharing of at least 60% of their components and a 30% reduction in production costs for the new hybrid system.

Although it has reduced its planned investment in electric vehicles, Honda continues to regard fully electric models as an essential part of its future strategy.

For now, however, hybrids will be the means by which the brand intends to get through this “transition period” before full electrification.

As Honda chief executive Toshihiro Mibe stated, the aim is to offer a comprehensive, competitive hybrid range while preparing the way for the wider adoption of electric vehicles.