The Enhanced 2012 Honda Civic Hybrid

By Edmont Pescatelini


For the first time, a 2012 Honda Civic Hybrid is employing a lithium-ion battery, and the EPA fuel economy has been boosted from 41 mpg to 44 mpg. For vehicles that never plug into the electrical grid, the Civic Hybrid has solidified its second-place position with the improvement in fuel economy. This excellent improvement in gas economy makes it superior to the Lexus CT 200h. It's thought to be the most fuel-efficient sedan on the market today.

The fifth generation hybrid powertrain system that the 2012 Civic Hybrid employs is known as the Integrated Motor Assist, that is an electric motor/generator that is a thin, pancake-type. This solely assists the gasoline engine by staying integrated between the engine and transmission, making it similar to the hybrid systems from Ford and Toyota. The electric motor supports the gas engine however it can be powered by electric alone for short distances. For particular situations, the Honda can run on electric power only but all of the engine parts still move. Once the car stops the engine shuts off, and then starts up again when it is time to go, like other hybrid vehicles.

In addition to the change to lithium-ion batteries, the 2012 Civic Hybrid incorporates a larger gasoline engine. The 1.3-liter engine has been increased to a 1.5-liter four-cylinder, however the combined horsepower of the electric and gas is actually unchanged. Due to the bigger displacement, the engine runs at a lower RPM which leads to a quieter ride as the electric motor is used more. For getting optimal effectiveness, every aspect of the hybrid system was tweaked, like the increase of the motor output from 15kw to 20kw. Plastic spacers and widely spaced coils and magnets enable the system to better control the temperature. The motor has risen to a sensible 23 horsepower, which is up from 20 horsepower.

The nickel-metal hydride battery pack has been succeeded by the stronger 20-kw Li-ion battery, which is 5 kw more and 30% lighter. With the battery being 35% more potent and the IMA system being more powerful, the car is able to cruise at low speeds on pure electricity. The car has numerous complaints as a result of battery failures, so the upgrade to the lithium battery should fix that problem. A continually variable transmission wraps up the IMA system. It operates kind of like a 10-speed bicycle using a drive pulley and a driven pulley that are linked with a steel belt. This is a fusion between the standard geared automatic transmission and a manual transmission.

With reliable improvements in fuel-efficiency and battery, the 2012 Civic Hybrid has certainly earned its awards. This kind of advancement has definitely made Prius look over its shoulder.




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