A wierd looking Honda City test mule spotted testing in US

Normally, when automakers put vehicles for testing on the road, it would be easy to guess what is behind those hoardes of camouflages. A facelift, a new variant, or a new engine or powertrain getting tested or a mix of both. But sometimes you would be never able to guess when a current production model is getting tested nd you wonder why. And that is the case with these pics of current generation Honda City undergoing testing.

Judging by the wires running over this Honda City, Honda has some tech that it wants to evaluate on the road. A box on the driver’s side corner of the front bumper is doing some of this work, and there’s another sensor on the roof. Pins hold the hood closed, and the its bulging shape suggests some interesting equipment in there. The tacked on extension to the rear bumper might conceal even more information-gathering equipment.

Based on the location of the various sensors, the technology under development here appears to be related to the powertrain. An exhaust pokes out the rear, but it’s possible that this could be a hybrid, given Honda’s current focus on electrification, at-least in Europe. The photos only show one side of the vehicle, so there’s no way to know about whether a plug-in socket is on board.

As per recent statements from Honda, the auto giant based out of Japan wants to electrify two thirds of its global auto sales by the year 2030 and the company is clearly betting on Pure Hybrid Electric Vehicles (PHEV) to make it possible. The company also has plans for fully electric and fuel cell models. Since October 2016, a specialised team within the R&D group has been developing a complete vehicle, including the powertrain and body.

Currently, Honda does not sell its Accord in USA and the 2018 Honda Accord Hybrid is expected to reach there by end of this year. Honda is also mulling to launch a hybrid version of its best selling Honda CR-V in the continent.

[Source: Motor1]