Sorry folks - but I want it all - the CR-V needs to be a true PHEV, not another low 30 mpg hybrid like the Highlander and other hybrid only SUV's. I also want that steering wheel design too!
Agree, but looks like they are take the baby step of non-plug hybrid CR-V first. Was surprised to see 2.0L in this CR-V hybrid rather than our 1.5L. Suppose that will allow it to have some towing capacity.
I believe Outlander is 4 wheel or AWD whereas Clarity is not. Also as I saw noted above somewhere, the range will be lower if in cold temps. That said, my bro sells Mitzus so if you decide on one let me know- he could use a sale!
It's a lot easier to plop a 1.1 kWh Li-Ion battery pack under the rear seat than to re-engineer the CR-V platform to accept a 17 kWH battery, battery coolant system, and associated electronics like the package in the Clarity PHEV: There are spy photos on the 'net of a Pilot PHEV being tested on the road. It has a lot more room for a large battery pack than the CR-V. I doubt the Pilot PHEV could get by with a 2-liter 4, so I expect to see a V-6 mated to the i-MMD 2-motor system.
https://insideevs.com/2019-honda-pilot-phev-spied-for-first-time/ Says this Pilot PHEV will have 2.0L engine. I hope it is turbo, otherwise might repeat Outlander PHEV mistake. It probably should be the 2.4L if not 2.0 Turbo. Additionally, the photo of the plug port suggests that this won't have DC Fast Charge as that normally requires a wider config.
The updated Outlander will have the 2.4 engine. My thinking is it would be interesting if an electric supercharger was used. A turbo doesn't sound like a good idea in a hybrid since it goes on and off so much.
Does any PHEV have a DC Fast Charge port? I thought those were only found on BEVs. Wonder if the Pilot's battery will be a 17-kWh unit like the Clarity for economy of scale reasons?
So far the only cars with battery sizes of any worth are the cars built from the ground up to be phev's or ev's and I don't see that changing with the Pilot. Expect no more than 17-25 miles ev range.
Even if Honda finds enough nooks and crannies in the Pilot to stash a 17 kWh battery, your range estimate of 17-25 miles might be correct due to the fact that the Pilot is less aerodynamic than the Clarity and a Pilot weighs as much as a Clarity before adding the battery and other PHEV stuff (although a smaller engine will save some weight).
The Outlander PHEV has a DCFC (CHAdeMO) port, presumably because public CHAdeMO chargers are at least as common in Japan as level 2 ones.
I don't think it will be in the Pilot, my suspicion is it will be in the new Passport. So it would be 2 rows of seats and slightly smaller than the Pilot. This may be just a test vehicle. That's just a guess, because that power level shouldn't be in such a large vehicle. The Clarity and Insight are separate names from the current models, so I would think they may do the same here.
If it's going to be in a crossover or suv it will be in one newly designed for that purpose or it will be a waste of time. They will probably start a whole new line of phev/ev vehicles and slowly phase out the ice models. If you are looking for your favorite suv or crossover-type vehicle to become a phev you will be end up being disappointed.
Not a car designer, but the three luxury lines that have PHEV SUVs are all using 2.0L Turbos. With a normally aspirated 2.0L and greater than 10 second 0-60 performance generally a concern to US drivers needing to merge with Type A soccer moms, this is believed to be one reason Mitsu delayed the Outlander PHEV arrival.
Whether Pilot or Passport, if they can get 17kWh in it and match or beat 22mpc, I think it will be a good seller. Predicting that charge-at-work options will only improve, roundtrip commuting distances of 40 miles could be done on battery only.
Those brand don't care about the maintenance cost after the warranty. Most of those cars are in the 2nd or 3rd owner by then. That's why most luxury brands are selling high power cars, for those prices people want power.
Here's Autoweek's review of the Outlander PHEV. The reviewer seems to believe Mitsubishi has turned over a new leaf and left its sordid past behind with the introduction of this softly sprung, 33-mile range, $42K plug-in hybrid SUV.
Surely this is NOT correct: "With less than half a battery it was charged fully in less than four hours from a Level 2 charging station." FOUR HOURS for half of a 12 KWh battery pack on Level 2 charging?
On this line, it makes me think a hybrid doesn't actually generate enough waste heat to run a turbo effectively. Maybe it does, but they need heat energy from the exhaust to run, and cars like the Clarity already put very little heat out the tail pipe (relatively speaking).
You might consider waiting just a little bit to pull the trigger, as a lot more PHEV's are on the way to the market to add to your comparisons. For example, there are a lot of stories out there now that Honda will (this year) introduce a PHEV version of its very roomy Pilot SUV. Also, you might want to consider the forthcoming Volvo XC40 PHEV. Finally, you also should consider that the Clarity (because of its battery size) is eligible for the full $7,500 federal income tax credit, while many others (including the Outlander) only are eligible for a much lower (by thousands of dollars) tax credit. This last factor, coupled with superior Honda build quality and some other factors, pushed me in the direction of a Clarity purchase.