Yes this is a speculation thread, and no I don't know if this has been brought up before due to the search feature being down, but I was wondering if anyone thinks that an electric motor may be an option on the next s2000? The best part about the s2000 is its handling. Put a larger engine in there (even a 2.4) and you will lose some of the agility and poise. But keep a 2.0 liter, maybe with IVTEC and add an electric motor (like the nSx rumors) and that should make for a ~300 hp, 2800 pound s2000 with the same frantic handling characteristics that most of us love. Dunno... if Honda adds an electric motor to the next NSX, why wouldn't they add this to the next s2000?

 

I further speculate that if you add an electric motor, then you will increase the weight of the car by several hundred pounds. Electric motors are heavy ... and so are their batteries.

 

My Dad just bought one of the new Civic Hybrids, and while it's a cool car, and they did a great job integrating the electric assist, I doubt it's even discussed at Honda for the NSX or S2000, except to say "What are you smokin'?"

The added 3 or 4 hundred pounds on the Civic gets you an impressive 13 peak HP, and with the battery pack they are using you can only run the electric motor full-tilt for 6 minutes before the battery is dead. So to get enough HP gain to be significant in a performance car would take over 1,000 lbs added weight. And where in the heck do you think you're going to stuff those batteries in an S2000?

What makes the Civic work is the fact that it's not a sports car so it's not driven like a sports car. There is plenty of part-throttle and near-idle time to recharge the battery and keep it topped up for that blistering 15-second 0-60 accelleration run.

 

Actually I've seen reports that Honda is looking at this technology to help power the next NSX.

 

The cost of battery replacement far outweighs the fuel economy savings.

When I owned my TL, my gasoline cost about 6

 

It is not about saving money some of it is about saving the environment.

You get a good tax break by owning an electric car....I don't know what the goverment is going to do about hybrids.

 

Federal Clean-Fuel Vehicle Tax Deduction

$2,000 deduction for the year you purchased the car. You can submit an ammendment if your purchase was in the past. It's a $2,000 deduction in the taxes owed for that year, not a $2,000 deduction in the salary claimed...so it's a nice deduction. I'm working on filing mine right now.

 

I have thought of this too, it would not have to be a big heavy motor, just use one that puts out a smaller amount of hp , possibly connected to the drive shaft that engages when you hit a switch, just for those brief periods when you need to get your speed up in a short period of time then switch it off.

It could make a noticeable change without too much battery weight.

 

I don't think we'll see this happen in this generation of performance cars.

See this quote from Honda President:Bloomberg.com


Also see this excerp from an Autonews.com article (again the Honda President):

Q: What happens next with the Acura NSX? Is that a vehicle that you could put a hybrid powertrain in to improve the performance?
A: No. The kind of customers who buy that car are not interested in fuel economy.


Q:I'm thinking of off-the-line performance, because with an electric motor, all of the torque is available immediately.
A: But we would have to add some weight to make a hybrid. And space is so limited in that kind of car. Light weight is one of the keys to the NSX's performance.


Q: Could a V-6 engine tied to a hybrid give you the performance that other makers get from a V-8? You have said consistently that a V-8 does not fit the Honda image of fuel efficiency. Is that something you're looking at seriously?
A: Would you like to be a member of our product development team? (Laughs.)


Q: Will Honda continue to raise horsepower across the board in its U.S. lineup as part of the current "horsepower war" there?
A: Not necessarily. But the better the performance, the more people like it. At least, if it doesn't damage the fuel economy.


He sure is good at not answering the question isn't he?

 

12v vs. some new higher voltage system as a standard has nothing to do with the hybrid power train. It's running at a higher voltage already and is not depedent on the 12V system.

Honda is also looking at ultracapacitors for this application, which would be lighter and likely better for higher performance regenerative braking.

-R