Associates at Honda’s East Liberty Auto Plant celebrated the beginning of mass production of the all-new 2023 Honda CR-V hybrid Feb. 2, following up on its launch of the gasoline-powered CR-V Oct. 26.
The CR-V hybrid, which was launched in North America at Honda of Canada Mfg. in October, features a new two-motor hybrid system produced at Honda’s Ohio Transmission Plant in Russells Point, and a newly refined Atkinson-cycle engine unique to hybrid models that is made at the Anna Engine Plant in Ohio.
Representing a key step in Honda’s electrification strategy, starting with the 2023 model year, about 50 percent of CR-V’s annual sales in the U.S. will be powered by the two-motor hybrid-electric system.
“ELP is excited to continue our electrification journey with mass production of the all-new 2023 CR-V hybrid,” said ELP Plant Lead Keith Strickland. “Thanks to the ELP team for all of the efforts in preparing to deliver these quality vehicles to our dealers and customers.”
ELP joins HCM and the Indiana Auto Plant (IAP) in manufacturing the new CR-V hybrid model, and each plant worked in close collaboration with Anna Engine Plant and the Ohio Transmission Plant, which are responsible for the new powertrain.
The 2.0-liter Atkinson-cycle four-cylinder engine built at AEP is the first Honda engine to combine high-pressure direct-injection with multistage injection for an extremely homogeneous mixture that delivers clean combustion.
The two-motor hybrid-electric system made at the Russells Point plant features a new arrangement, switching from coaxial motors of the same size stacked on top of each other to a two-motor parallel axis system with engines of different sizes mounted side-by-side.