The 2014 Honda Accord Hybrid is fascinating from a mechanical standpoint.
For those of you who aren’t interested in mechanical engineering, what you need to know is that the 2014 Honda Accord Hybrid gets 50 miles per gallon in the city. All that start/stop, traffic light-dominated driving that usually means low fuel efficiency will be so masterfully handled by the Accord Hybrid that you’ll get better mileage around town than most people will get cruising on the highway.
How can this be? How can a 3,600 lb., full-size sedan with a spacious interior and all the latest technological amenities get the best mileage under the worst conditions? Don’t hybrids that get good mileage look like super-futuristic insects with under-sized wheels and body sizes better suited for Ewoks than regular-sized people?
The answer, essentially, is not any more, thanks to mechanical engineering. The 2014 Honda Accord Hybrid runs primarily on an electric battery, using gasoline sparingly to power a generator that recharges the battery. It’s like when the power goes out in your house, and you (or someone like you) uses a generator to get the lights back on. Rather than using gas-powered lamps throughout your house, it’s much more efficient to pour a small amount of gasoline into a generator, and then let the generator produce electricity to power your lights, TV, refrigerator and laptops.
From a technological position, what Honda’s engineers have done with the 2014 Honda Accord Hybrid is awe-inspiring. They use clever mechanical systems regulated by highly sophisticated computer algorithms to engage either electricity or gasoline to power the engine based on whether you put the pedal to the floor, or just drive normally while listening to the radio. If you do put the pedal to the floor, you can expect to get from 0 to 60 mph in 7.5 seconds, basically the same as a regular Accord.
This is something that hybrid cars mean to do, but none have done so well without compromising body style, comfort, ride or sticker price. We’ve attempted to communicate the interesting ways the Accord accomplishes this, but if you remain skeptical we encourage you to read the piece at the Wall Street Journal that inspired this blog post.
Once your interest is thoroughly piqued, stop by Leith Honda to experience this astounding car for yourself. Welcome to 2014.