Care to entertain that headline you just read and for a moment put a Honda Scooter side-by-side with an Acura NSX? Read on.
Earlier last week Honda announced that they’re making the world’s first mass-produced motorized scooter equipped with a motorcycle hybrid system. With sleek styling and a gas engine aided by a lithium-ion battery, this two-wheeled joyride reminds me of another car from Honda’s portfolio, the NSX!
ホンダ、量産2輪車でハイブリッドシステムを世界初搭載する原付二種スクーター「PCX HYBRID」 https://t.co/DrEeH6E6sa #ホンダ #Honda #PCX pic.twitter.com/Tj2rclwRN7
— Car Watch (@car_watch) July 6, 2018
#ホンダウェルカムプラザ青山#PCX#PCXHYBRID#青山一丁目 pic.twitter.com/ybETgt6q5x
— 仏の永(なが)さん CBR125R 役職:月面探査隊 (@hotoke_nagasan) July 11, 2018
Gas PCX scooters come in 125cc and 150cc variants with power outputs hovering around 11.7 HP and 13.5 HP respectively.
This new PCX hybrid scooter throws in a 48V lithium-ion battery into the mix that, for four seconds at a time during initial acceleration, provides a boost of about .5 HP. That might not seem like a lot but in something that weighs less than 300 pounds, you’ll feel it.
By a motor assisting the engine, the PCX HYBRID realizes sharper throttle response and superior performance compared to conventional scooters in the same class*3, while maintaining the PCX engine’s characteristic quietness and feel of quality. Two motor assist modes allow the rider to choose the level of motor assist: “D” mode provides comfortable riding with suitable assist and exceptional fuel economy, and “S” mode provides stronger assist for a sporty ride.
For now, this PCX Hybrid is only for Japan, limited to 2000 scooters but whose to say this won’t be a global product. After all, the T
At roughly $4,000 or $400 more than a bog standard PCX 125, that extra bit of assist and presumably better gas mileage might justify that slight increase in price.
Noteworthy is that Honda has an all-electric PCX in the works. That one has a larger .98KW battery pack that, not only can you charge, but can swap for a fresh one if you’ve got another one charged lying around. That revolutionary battery technology is a big deal but that’s another story altogether.
Oh, the NSX. This PCX Hybrid hot and sharp styling…like the NSX…and it’s got a gas engine (albeit not turbocharged) aided by lithium-ion batteries…like an NSX.
This is pretty much an NSX on two wheels for just $4,000. Disagree? Sound off in the comments below.
