Honda Motor Corporation today announced to implement in cooperation with Kumamoto's Prefecture to test electric cars, hybrid plug-ins or the Plug-in Hybrid Electric Vehicle (PHEV), electric scooters and carts. On 20 December, Honda also did the same test with Saitama Prefecture.
In this test program, Honda uses four vehicles. For First Fit electricity, It Inspire sedan hybrid plug-in (PHEV), scooters and carts (four-wheeled motorcycle). At the same time, it also tested the charging system which obtain energy from the sun (in the Honda factory environment).
Atkinson Cycle
Especially for hybrid cars, Honda is trying to follow some of the technology used on the Toyota Prius. For that, it inspires sedan for mounted four-cylinder engine, 2.0 liters of typical technology of Honda i-VTEC with Atkison cycle.
Furthermore, Honda uses two electric motors (one motor and one generator) and lithium-ion battery. The main electric motor produces 120 kW maximum power, duty propel the car at once change kinetics energy when the car is braking into electricity. One more is a generator which produces electricity to 100 kW.
The relationship between engine with an electric motor plus generator is different from that applied by Toyota. At Honda, electric motor and a conventional engine can work independently.
Plug-In Hybrids
As described by experts Honda, Honda hybrid plug-ins can be run with only electric powered car (electric vehicle), hybrid (conventional engine and electric motor) and the gasoline engine alone. It is also possible to run cars with gasoline engines while the generator produces electricity to be stored in batteries.
Unfortunately, there are no details of the concept described by hybrid plug-ins. Honda just say that motors and generators are in addition to the engine. Furthermore, motors and generators can be exempted (break) through the clutch. While the hybrid Toyota, engine, motors and generators connected by a planetary gear and can not be determined. That is, when the gasoline engine running the car is still associated with an electric motor.
Battery
The capacity of the battery used 6kWH installed in the trunk. PHEV can only be used for a distance of 25 km (electricity). By using electric voltage 100 V, charging takes four hours, while the voltage of 200 volts is only 1.5 hours.
Battery cells made by Blue Energy Co. Ltd, in collaboration with Honda and GS Yuasa Corp. Tues made using different materials than those used for the Civic hybrid batteries that will be launched next year.
