This Honda Has No Transmission

Like Koenigsegg, Like Honda: The 2017 Honda Accord Hybrid

The 2017 Honda Accord Hybrid features three different drive modes, utilizing their latest hybrid drivetrain. There's EV mode, where the car is purely driven by the electric drive motor, powered by the 1.3 kWh battery. Without sufficient charge, hybrid mode is engaged. This uses the engine purely as a generator, spinning a separate generator motor to charge the batter and send power to the drive motor. At highway cruising speeds, the system can enter engine drive mode, where the engine directly drives the wheels, with a set gear ratio. In this mode, the battery also charges up, so once the battery has sufficient charge the vehicle will switch to electric-only, and switch back and forth between the engine and the battery depending on charge. All of this is achieved using an overdrive lockup clutch, to lock the engine to the drive motor, spinning the countershaft and thus the differential.

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[RedesCat]

i was about to buy a regera but then i saw this video, thank you!

[wbedard]

The elegance of this system was one of the main reasons I bought this car. However, even most Honda dealerships list the Hybrid as having a E-CVT transmission. Although I would love it if Honda had the courage to just list the transmission as "N/A", I'm guessing most people just won't understand it. Thanks for the great breakdown of how it all works!

[roguedogx]

this is one of my favorites hybrid systems currently on the market. I'd love to see it stuck into a fit, or a now defunct crz. that weight, that torque, that level of directness, and that fuel economy, yes please!

[WestCoastWheelman]

People always say hybrids and evs are "too complicated", and I'm like have you seen the inside of a modern automatic transmission? This system is relatively simple when you actually understand what's going on, and not anymore complicated than most gas cars.

[simonchow]

honda has been notorious for their shitty transmission. now they simply get rid of it. smart move, honda.

[Nexville]

Your videos are a good hangover cure :D

[speedguy]

Hybrid mode on the new accord sounds like it works similar to a diesel-electric locomotive.

[HydroCronus]

Miles Per Gallon for this says it's 49 city/47 Hwy. This is the desirable Prius for sure. Good job Honda

[StaufferGarage]

wish my 2004 odyssey didn't have a transmission hahaha

[QuattroRMT]

I miss those '90s Hondas :( low, wide, light, pure fun cars

[nikonmark]

This is absolutely the best video explaining how Honda's current hybrid system works. I drive a 2019 Honda Insight EX which uses a smaller engine but works exactly the same as the Accord hybrid.

[plagick]

Ive driven my Plug In Hybrid Accord 45, 000 miles and charged the battery an estimated 2, 500 times since 10/2013. At maximum acceleration i can sense the three modes. They sound a bit different. I knew there was a bunch of "science" going on and I knew there was no transmission. I did not know how it worked. Very clear explanation. My battery is fine and the onboard charger is ridiculously fast. I fill it over night, set the charge timer for 4:30 am, its full at 7:15 when I leave for work. There are vents inside the cabin on the sides of the back seat which circulate cabin air around the battery and they warm my interior which is nice in the winter. I drive 20 miles to work in LA. Depending on speed in the carpool lane (over 62 mph the clutch is engaged and driving on gas alone) i make it into the parking garage as it switches from EV to HV mode. I plug it into a wall outlet about 8am, by 11am its full and I get an email. I lock the charge cord with a deep throat padlock to a cable "car catcher" in the parking garage . Go to lunch. About 12:40 I use the app on my phone to preheat or cool the cabin so when we come out from eating its comfortable. Normally in the winter by preheating I only need to use the seat heaters. Back at work I plug it in again and get another email that the battery is full about 1:45. Then I drive home, its a little bit uphill and so I end up in HV mode for about 3 miles near my house. Get home, plug it in as I close the garage, and repeat. I bought a second Honda charge cord from eBay so I did not have to fetch it from my trunk, It's hanging from the ceiling right at the charge port when I'm parked. No need for a charging station.
Sometimes while accelerating the EV range increases which is quirky. The charge mode is great because the whine of the engine is a bit annoying so it can be avoided after a few miles of charge mode.
It has been a wonderful car. I sold my S2000 and my commuter HX civic to get in the carpool lane, and haven't regretted it.

[QiruiFan]

I'm an owner of an Accord Hybrid 18 and a newbie in car mechanics, but you explained it very clearly! Love your logically ordered playlists too.

[milfordcivic]

I couldn't fathom owning one of these. The 2016 sport I have is extremely easy and simple to service and work on.

[stephanoya]

So basically buy an Accord instead of a Regerra

[dmac]

The way he describes its operation makes it seem similar to how a diesel-electric submarine operates. Every now and then the engine switches on to drive the wheels and charge the batteries just as a submarine snorkels to recharge. Really cool.

[spedracer]

never thought id hear koenigsegg and honda in the same video

[bryanjschang]

a 13 yrs old watching, I don't understand all of it like when he said you can't do high speed with the
thanks EE you helped quite a lot in my physics, happy new year

[RadicalEagle]

I love the conclusions you draw at the end of your videos. Accord is a great alternative to the Regera, an Integra is basically an F1 car, etc. Looking forward to more great, educational, and entertaining videos from you in 2017!

[jonk]

Looks like a similar concept to the Mitsubishi Outlander PHEV drivetrain - it's a series hybrid until the road speed permits the lockup clutch to engage and mechanically couple engine to wheels. Which it will do as soon as the required power exceeds the amount that the battery alone can deliver.

Still has the disadvantage that the engine will, at some times, be operating outside of its optimum speed for a given power demand. So to my mind it's not quite as elegant (or efficient) as Toyota's HSD system.