Honda flexes new powertrain muscle

Honda R&D's top engineer outlines his company's Earth Dreams powertrain assault that includes more efficient, robust, and refined ICEs; new hybrid drive systems; and further developments in FCEVs, HCCI, plasma ignitions, and Rankine-cycle engine types.

“Some automakers claim the internal-combustion engine has reached its development limit, and that EV will be the future path. I do not subscribe to that assumption,” asserted Toshihiro Mibe, Honda R&D's Managing Officer of Automotive Development. “I believe the ICE will remain the mainstream automotive power source in the 2030s and into the '40s. We are ultimately aiming at mean thermal efficiency of 50%.”

Honda is moving confidently toward that goal with new-generation gasoline and diesel engines as well as a new range of more efficient and cost-effective hybrid drives broadly dubbed Earth Dreams. Developed with structural rigidity, robustness, light weight, and compactness as the paramount design targets, the new engines range in displacement from a 660-cm³ three-cylinder (for the N-series micro car) to the 3.5-L V6. Between them are four-cylinder units for the Fit, Civic, and Accord vehicle lines, including 2.4-L direct-injected and 2.0-L Atkinson-cycle versions.