Honda unveils Civic improvements
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Honda unveils Civic improvements
Honda unveils Civic improvements
Better mileage, performance for gasoline and hybrid engines will be available later in '05.
July 5, 2005: 6:41 AM EDT
TOKYO (Reuters) - Honda Motor unveiled improvements to its Civic's gasoline and hybrid engine systems that would boost mileage and performance on the car's remodeled versions due later this year.
With global sales of nearly 600,000 units a year, the Civic is Honda's (up $0.09 to $24.70, Research) best-selling model after the Accord, and the refreshed version that was announced Tuesday is widely expected to generate big sales gains for Japan's third-biggest auto maker.
Honda said the improved i-VTEC (intelligent Variable Valve Timing and Lift Electronic Control System) technology -- a mechanism that helps engines burn fuel more efficiently while enhancing driving performance -- would raise the engine's fuel economy by 6 percent in the new gasoline-only Civic.
The new 1.8-liter engine is 11 pounds lighter than the 1.7-liter engine that powers the current Civic, thanks largely to the use of fewer components -- something Honda has promised to pursue to lower costs.
Honda also developed a more powerful, fuel-efficient hybrid system that would enable its gasoline-electric vehicles to run solely on the electric motor at low cruising speeds for the first time, like Toyota Motor's (up $0.66 to $72.15, Research) popular Prius sedan.
The new system features an evolved, three-stage 1.34-liter i-VTEC engine, combined with Honda's IMA (integrated motor assist) technology to achieve a 20 percent jump in output -- comparable to the performance of a conventional 1.8-liter engine.
The system is smaller, lighter and costs up to 30 percent less than the existing version, a Honda engineer said.
Green machines
Honda has long been at the forefront of "green" powertrain technology, perhaps most famously with the development in 1973 of the CVCC (Compound Vortex Controlled Combustion) engine -- the world's first to meet Clean Air Act requirements without a catalytic converter, and which gave the popular Civic its name.
Honda is one of a handful of car makers to offer mass-market hybrid cars; its FCX model is the only zero-emission fuel-cell vehicle certified by the Environmental Protection Agency and California regulators for regular daily use.
But Honda's ranking as one of the world's most fuel-efficient car brands is mainly due to its widespread use of environmentally friendly gasoline-engine technology, and that trend will continue despite the development of an improved hybrid system, an executive said.
"The most meaningful way to raise the fleet's overall performance and efficiency is to make new technologies like this available on a wide range of vehicles," Motoatsu Shiraishi, senior managing director and head of Honda's R&D unit, told reporters.
"We intend to use this technology on all vehicles that share the Civic powertrain eventually," he said.
The current Civic engine also powers some Stream and Edix/FR-V minivans.
Despite the popularity of its fuel-sipping Prius hybrid, Toyota ranks third behind Honda and Nissan Motor (up $0.02 to $19.90, Research) in average fleet-wide fuel economy in the United States, according to the Union of Concerned Scientists, a Washington, D.C.-based independent research group.
"In terms of the technology that Honda and Toyota have, I would argue that they're running neck-and-neck," said David Friedman, research director of the group's Clean Vehicles Program. "But Honda has been willing to get more of it out on the road, and that's a really important difference."
With about 27,200 sold last year, hybrids make up just 2 percent of Honda's sales in the United States, where it sells a little more than half of its Civics.
Honda is projecting a rise in its U.S. fleet's average fuel economy to 29.5 miles per gallon in 2005, up from last year's 29.0 mpg and the industry average of 24.6 mpg, even as SUVs and other light trucks make up a bigger portion of its line-up.
Better mileage, performance for gasoline and hybrid engines will be available later in '05.
July 5, 2005: 6:41 AM EDT
TOKYO (Reuters) - Honda Motor unveiled improvements to its Civic's gasoline and hybrid engine systems that would boost mileage and performance on the car's remodeled versions due later this year.
With global sales of nearly 600,000 units a year, the Civic is Honda's (up $0.09 to $24.70, Research) best-selling model after the Accord, and the refreshed version that was announced Tuesday is widely expected to generate big sales gains for Japan's third-biggest auto maker.
Honda said the improved i-VTEC (intelligent Variable Valve Timing and Lift Electronic Control System) technology -- a mechanism that helps engines burn fuel more efficiently while enhancing driving performance -- would raise the engine's fuel economy by 6 percent in the new gasoline-only Civic.
The new 1.8-liter engine is 11 pounds lighter than the 1.7-liter engine that powers the current Civic, thanks largely to the use of fewer components -- something Honda has promised to pursue to lower costs.
Honda also developed a more powerful, fuel-efficient hybrid system that would enable its gasoline-electric vehicles to run solely on the electric motor at low cruising speeds for the first time, like Toyota Motor's (up $0.66 to $72.15, Research) popular Prius sedan.
The new system features an evolved, three-stage 1.34-liter i-VTEC engine, combined with Honda's IMA (integrated motor assist) technology to achieve a 20 percent jump in output -- comparable to the performance of a conventional 1.8-liter engine.
The system is smaller, lighter and costs up to 30 percent less than the existing version, a Honda engineer said.
Green machines
Honda has long been at the forefront of "green" powertrain technology, perhaps most famously with the development in 1973 of the CVCC (Compound Vortex Controlled Combustion) engine -- the world's first to meet Clean Air Act requirements without a catalytic converter, and which gave the popular Civic its name.
Honda is one of a handful of car makers to offer mass-market hybrid cars; its FCX model is the only zero-emission fuel-cell vehicle certified by the Environmental Protection Agency and California regulators for regular daily use.
But Honda's ranking as one of the world's most fuel-efficient car brands is mainly due to its widespread use of environmentally friendly gasoline-engine technology, and that trend will continue despite the development of an improved hybrid system, an executive said.
"The most meaningful way to raise the fleet's overall performance and efficiency is to make new technologies like this available on a wide range of vehicles," Motoatsu Shiraishi, senior managing director and head of Honda's R&D unit, told reporters.
"We intend to use this technology on all vehicles that share the Civic powertrain eventually," he said.
The current Civic engine also powers some Stream and Edix/FR-V minivans.
Despite the popularity of its fuel-sipping Prius hybrid, Toyota ranks third behind Honda and Nissan Motor (up $0.02 to $19.90, Research) in average fleet-wide fuel economy in the United States, according to the Union of Concerned Scientists, a Washington, D.C.-based independent research group.
"In terms of the technology that Honda and Toyota have, I would argue that they're running neck-and-neck," said David Friedman, research director of the group's Clean Vehicles Program. "But Honda has been willing to get more of it out on the road, and that's a really important difference."
With about 27,200 sold last year, hybrids make up just 2 percent of Honda's sales in the United States, where it sells a little more than half of its Civics.
Honda is projecting a rise in its U.S. fleet's average fuel economy to 29.5 miles per gallon in 2005, up from last year's 29.0 mpg and the industry average of 24.6 mpg, even as SUVs and other light trucks make up a bigger portion of its line-up.
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Rep Power: 0 The 1.8, also features drive by wire and oil squirters for the pistons 
TOKYO, Japan, July 5, 2005 - Honda Motor Co., Ltd. today announced that it has developed a new 1.8l i-VTEC engine to be introduced this fall in the new Civic that achieves both more powerful performance and improved fuel economy. The engine employs an intelligent VTEC system that switches the valve timing for maximum efficiency during startup and acceleration to achieve powerful, torquey performance, then delays intake valve closure timing during cruising and other low-load conditions for improved fuel economy. Use of the valve timing control system results in off-the-line acceleration performance equivalent to a 2.0-liter engine, fuel economy approximately 6% better than the current 1.7-liter Civic engine, making it one of the world’s most efficient 1.8-liter engine designs. During cruising, the new engine achieves particularly high fuel economy, on a par with that of a 1.5-liter engine.
Under low-load conditions on conventional engine, the throttle valve is normally partly closed to control the intake volume of the fuel-air mixture. During this time, pumping losses are incurred due to intake resistance, and this is one factor that leads to reduced engine efficiency. With the i-VTEC engine, however, intake valve closure timing is delayed to control the intake volume of the air-fuel mixture, allowing the throttle valve to remain wide open even under low-load conditions for a major reduction in pumping losses of up to 16%. Combined with comprehensive friction-reducing measures, this results in a significant increase in fuel efficiency for the engine itself.
A DBW (Drive By Wire) system provides high-precision control over the throttle valve while the valve timing is being changed over, ensuring smooth driving performance that leaves the driver unaware of any torque fluctuations. Other innovations include a variable-length intake manifold that delivers optimum inertia effect to further improve intake efficiency and piston oil jets that cool the pistons to suppress engine knock, for powerful torque even at rpm ranges typical in normal driving. The new engine delivers a high level of performance, with maximum output of 103kW (140PS) and maximum torque of 174N·m (17.7kg·m). It also delivers cleaner emission performance, employing a 2-bed catalytic converter positioned immediately after the manifold and high-precision air-fuel ratio control to achieve emission levels 75% below 2005 Japanese government standards (based on Honda in-house testing).
In addition, lower block construction resulting in a more rigid engine frame, aluminum rocker arms, high-strength cracked connecting rods, a narrow, silent cam chain, and other innovations make the engine more compact and lightweight. It is both lighter and shorter overall than the current Civic 1.7l engine, and quieter as well.
TOKYO, Japan, July 5, 2005 - Honda Motor Co., Ltd. today announced that it has developed a new 1.8l i-VTEC engine to be introduced this fall in the new Civic that achieves both more powerful performance and improved fuel economy. The engine employs an intelligent VTEC system that switches the valve timing for maximum efficiency during startup and acceleration to achieve powerful, torquey performance, then delays intake valve closure timing during cruising and other low-load conditions for improved fuel economy. Use of the valve timing control system results in off-the-line acceleration performance equivalent to a 2.0-liter engine, fuel economy approximately 6% better than the current 1.7-liter Civic engine, making it one of the world’s most efficient 1.8-liter engine designs. During cruising, the new engine achieves particularly high fuel economy, on a par with that of a 1.5-liter engine.
Under low-load conditions on conventional engine, the throttle valve is normally partly closed to control the intake volume of the fuel-air mixture. During this time, pumping losses are incurred due to intake resistance, and this is one factor that leads to reduced engine efficiency. With the i-VTEC engine, however, intake valve closure timing is delayed to control the intake volume of the air-fuel mixture, allowing the throttle valve to remain wide open even under low-load conditions for a major reduction in pumping losses of up to 16%. Combined with comprehensive friction-reducing measures, this results in a significant increase in fuel efficiency for the engine itself.
A DBW (Drive By Wire) system provides high-precision control over the throttle valve while the valve timing is being changed over, ensuring smooth driving performance that leaves the driver unaware of any torque fluctuations. Other innovations include a variable-length intake manifold that delivers optimum inertia effect to further improve intake efficiency and piston oil jets that cool the pistons to suppress engine knock, for powerful torque even at rpm ranges typical in normal driving. The new engine delivers a high level of performance, with maximum output of 103kW (140PS) and maximum torque of 174N·m (17.7kg·m). It also delivers cleaner emission performance, employing a 2-bed catalytic converter positioned immediately after the manifold and high-precision air-fuel ratio control to achieve emission levels 75% below 2005 Japanese government standards (based on Honda in-house testing).
In addition, lower block construction resulting in a more rigid engine frame, aluminum rocker arms, high-strength cracked connecting rods, a narrow, silent cam chain, and other innovations make the engine more compact and lightweight. It is both lighter and shorter overall than the current Civic 1.7l engine, and quieter as well.
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Originally Posted by Kadenx
what does 174 N.m of torque equate to in ft pounds?
Nothing works better than a Chris except a Honda.
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That is awesome. I wonder what the actual weight for a new Civic is too. I suppose the bigger engine might be needed to push a slighly larger sedan.
This news is awesome. I want more gas-mileage... and a bigger tank. Did it mention how much gas it could hold?
This news is awesome. I want more gas-mileage... and a bigger tank. Did it mention how much gas it could hold?
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Originally Posted by jttegx
so is this motor coded as "D18" ?
think it'd fit the em2? itd be perfect for what i need if i ever wanted to replace the d17.
think it'd fit the em2? itd be perfect for what i need if i ever wanted to replace the d17.
http://www.7thgencivic.com/forums/sh...d.php?t=217923
I spend way too much time on this website
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Originally Posted by Michalo187
thats funny the engine keeps getting .1 liter but keeps weighing less
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