Honda Announces New Lightweight and Compact 1.5-liter Petrol-Electric Hybrid Powertrain

Honda today introduced a new hybrid powertrain that will eventually replace its Integrated Motor Assist (IMA) hybrid system used on small vehicles such as the Civic sedan, Insight, Fit / Jazz hatchback and CR-Z coupe.

The new system is named Sport Hybrid i-DCD, which is an acronym for 'Intelligent Dual Clutch Drive', and it comprises a newly developed 1.5-liter four-cylinder gasoline engine that runs on the more fuel-efficient Atkinson cycle and an electric motor that also acts as a generator connected to a 7-speed dual clutch transmission (DCT).

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Honda's Worldwide Hybrid Sales Break the 1 Million Mark after 13 Years

While not as near as successful as rivaling brand Toyota that sold its 4 millionth hybrid in May, 2012, Honda is a respectable foe in the hybrid car market with the automaker announcing today that its cumulative worldwide sales of hybrid vehicles surpassed the 1 million mark at the end of September 2012.

The Japanese carmaker reached the 1 million milestone almost 13 years after it launched its first ever production hybrid model, the Insight Mk1 in Japan in November of 1999.

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Honda's Cumulative Worldwide Hybrid Sales Surpass 800,000 Units Since 1999

While not as near as successful as its native rival Toyota when it comes to hybrid models, Honda remains a major player in the category having recently topped the 800,000 sales mark.

As we learned today, the milestone came at the end of December 2011 and was achieved 12 years and 2 months after Honda launched the first generation of its Insight hybrids in Japan in November 1999. For the record, last April Toyota sold its 1 millionth Prius in the States.

The first Insight delivered a fuel economy of 35km/liter (equal to 82.3mpg US or 2.9lt/100km) on the Japanese driving cycle, lending it the title of the most fuel-efficient gasoline-powered model of its time - according to Honda.

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