Last year Honda unveiled the CR-V Hybrid at the Shanghai Motor Show and now it’s getting ready to go on sale in Europe. The 2019 Honda CR-V Hybrid is the first Honda SUV in Europe to get a hybrid powertrain.
The 2019 Honda CR-V Hybrid is powered by a 2.0L four-cylinder engine that’s mated to an electric motor and lithium-ion battery pack. The hybrid powertrain generates a combined 181 horsepower and 232 lb-ft. of torque. Instead of sending the power to the wheels via a conventional transmission, the hybrid powertrain uses a single fixed-gear ratio, which Honda says is more refined than its rival’s typical CVT transmissions.
The hybrid powertrain has three modes: EV Drive, Hybrid Drive and Engine Drive. In EV Drive, the CR-V Hybrid is powered solely by the electric motor and the gas engine is turned off. In Hybrid Drive the four-cylinder engine powers a second motor/ generator that charges the battery pack. Lastly in Engine Drive a lock-up clutch mechanism creates a direct connection between the four-cylinder engine and the wheels.
In normal driving, the powertrain will automatically transition between Hybrid Drive and EV Drive. At moderate speeds, the CR-V Hybrid will typically run in EV Drive for more than half of the time, but at faster speeds, the SUV will be in EV Drive for approximately one third of the time.
Production of the 2019 Honda CR-V Hybrid will kick off in October with the first European deliveries scheduled to start in early 2019. Honda has yet to announce when the CR-V Hybrid will be available in the US.
Source: Honda
