115 MPGE HONDA ACCORD PLUG-IN HYBRID, MOST FUEL-EFFICIENT SEDAN IN AMERICA

The 2014 Honda Accord Plug-In Hybrid Electric Vehicle, rated by the EPA at 115 MPGe¹ in all electric mode, making it the most fuel-efficient sedan in America, went on-sale at select New York and California Honda dealers on January 15 with an MSRP of $39,780² and a monthly lease price of $429³.

Combining hybrid efficiency with a powerful dose of instantaneous electric-motor torque, the Honda Accord Plug-In is rated by the EPA with a maximum EV Mode driving range of 13 miles and a gasoline fuel-economy rating of 47/46/46 mpg (city/hwy/combined). The 2014 Accord Plug-In earned the highest EPA MPGe rating¹ (115 MPGe) in its class⁴, topping all plug-in-class competitors. In addition to being Honda’s first plug-in hybrid electric vehicle, the Accord Plug-In is the first production car in the U.S. to meet the new, more stringent LEV3/SULEV20 emissions standard, and will also qualify for single-occupant carpool-lane access in California.

The 2014 Accord Plug-in Hybrid is powered by an all-new Honda Earth DreamsTM technology two-motor hybrid system utilizing a powerful 124-kilowatt (kW) electric motor that also acts like a continuously variable transmission (e-CVT) mated to a highly fuel-efficient 2.0-liter i-VTEC, Atkinson cycle 4-cylinder engine. Electric-only operation is supported by a 6.7-kilowatt-hour (kWh) lithium-ion (Li-Ion) battery, with high efficiency regenerative braking provided by an all-new electric-servo braking system.

To maximize driving efficiency, the new two-motor hybrid system allows the Accord Plug-In powertrain to transition seamlessly between all-electric EV Drive, gasoline-electric Hybrid Drive; and direct Engine Drive. Beyond its function as a full-electric vehicle, owners of the Accord Plug-In will be able to choose two additional driving modes to manage battery capacity and tailor the capabilities of the vehicle to their commute. In its default start-up mode, the Accord Plug-In acts as a pure electric vehicle and will remain in full-electric mode until the battery state of charge necessitates the automatic switch to gas/electric hybrid operation. At higher speeds and engine loads, such as during aggressive acceleration, the gasoline engine kicks in to provide additional power. There is also a button on the center console that allows the driver to manually select EV mode – for example, if they want to utilize EV mode in their neighborhood, or in city traffic on stop-and-go highway driving when regenerative braking potential is increased. In the driver-selectable “HV” mode, the plug-in Accord acts as a conventional hybrid, blending electric motor gasoline engine power to maximize fuel efficiency while maintaining the battery charge level.

The plug-in Accord can be fully charged from a low-charge indication point in less than three hours using the supplied 120-volt charger when plugged into a standard 120-volt household electrical outlet (use of a dedicated GFCI outlet is recommended), and in less than one hour using a 240-volt “Level-2” charger⁵. The free HondaLink™ EV smartphone application will allow owners to remotely monitor the charging state of the Accord Plug-In.

Based on the Touring trim level of standard Accord Sedan but featuring unique styling cues, the 2014 Honda Accord Plug-In will be available in three exterior colors, including two standard Accord shades (White Orchid Pearl and Crystal Black Pearl) plus a model-exclusive Burnished Silver Metallic.

Honda Environmental Leadership In addition to producing the Accord Plug-In, Honda has developed numerous technologies to improve fuel efficiency and reduce CO2 emissions, including the Honda Fit EV, Civic Natural Gas and the Honda FCX Clarity fuel cell electric vehicle (FCEV). Honda has also led the Union of Concerned Scientists (UCS) rankings of overall vehicle environmental performance since 2000, and a Honda vehicle has topped the list of America’s greenest vehicles from the America Council for an Energy-Efficient Economy (ACEEE) for 15 consecutive years.