Honda Will Ditch e:HEV Branding, Next-Generation Hybrid Will Be Called Honda Hybrid

Honda scaled down its electric vehicle (EV) plans as it saw waning demand in North America for these vehicles. As such, it is allocating its resources to its next-generation hybrids, which, in this case, will ditch the e:HEV branding. If you’ve always been confused by the e:HEV branding, you’ll probably be happy to know that its next-generation hybrid system will have a much simpler name.

Perhaps it may be too simple, but at least it’s easier to digest for customers worldwide. The next-generation hybrid system will simply be called Honda Hybrid, which the company has confirmed will be introduced in 2027.

Honda Hybrid will carry on the technologies and learnings from its e:HEV system. e:HEV, in turn, builds upon the brand’s two-motor hybrid system. The company says that the next-generation Honda Hybrid system “further advances the technology to realize both excellent fuel efficiency and the joy of driving that appeals to all senses of the driver, at a high level.”

Honda says the simpler marketing name makes it easier to communicate its next-generation hybrid technology. They have also outlined that they are launching 15 next-generation hybrid models equipped with Honda Hybrid globally by the end of the fiscal year ending March 31, 2030, primarily in North America.

Honda has already confirmed some engineering details of its next-generation hybrid system over the past few years. Honda Hybrid will be accompanied by more efficient engines, a more powerful electric motor, whilst also evolving its S+ Shift system that debuted in the Prelude to separate its hybrid system as the sportier choice. S+ Shift is set to trickle down to other models apart from just the Civic.

Upcoming models equipped with the next-generation Honda Hybrid will be built on the newly developed platform that achieves both optimized rigidity and weight reduction through the adoption of a new approach to body rigidity management, which brings about vehicle behavior as if the body is flexing as a way to improve handling and ride comfort.

Lastly, Honda is also introducing a new Motion Management System (MMS), a vehicle dynamics control module that builds upon today’s Agile Handling Assist (AHA) torque vectoring by braking. The next-generation hybrid system will also feature electronic all-wheel drive (e-AWD) as an option, just like in many Toyota hybrids with E-Four e-AWD, such as the new RAV4.