An assistant large project leader in the company’s powertrain division, Takashi Shinchi, told Drive the development process is still in early stages, though a fuel-consumption reduction of “maybe 50 percent” appears to be attainable.
Engineers are currently working on several challenges for hybrid integration, with battery location at the top of the list. The company must carefully integrate the battery underneath the already-low floor, without bringing a negative impact to weight distribution.
The hybrid option is expected to be added to the fifth-generation Odyssey, which arrived in showrooms late last year. All trim levels are currently powered by a 3.5-liter i-VTED V6 engine that produces 248 horsepower and 250 lb-ft of torque, with a 19 mpg city rating and 28 mpg on the highway.
It is unclear if the hybrid edition will switch to a smaller engine, sacrificing power to help reduce fuel consumption to a level below Toyota’s Prius.
Honda is remaining tight-lipped about the development time-frame for the hybrid Odyssey.
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