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The Honda CR-V Hybrid Racer previews the hybrid powertrains set to arrive for the 2024 IndyCar season.The IndyCar twin-turbo V-6 is accompanied by an electric motor and a supercapacitor—a component previously seen in the Lamborghini Sián—to combine for approximately 800 horsepower.The CR-V Hybrid Racer will make its in-person debut at the Grand Prix of St. Petersburg this weekend before touring the other tracks on the 2023 IndyCar schedule.At heart, Honda is an engineering company, as it likes to remind us in commercials showing off its diverse product lineup from cars to outboard motors to airplanes. The automaker also has a long history in motorsports and currently supplies engines to five teams in IndyCar, which will introduce hybrid power units for the 2024 season. To prepare for IndyCar’s electrification, Honda let its engineers go wild to create the CR-V Hybrid Racer, described by Honda as a “rolling laboratory” that provides a “sneak preview” of the next era of IndyCar racing.The CR-V Hybrid Racer may resemble a regular CR-V, which is Honda’s most popular vehicle, but underneath the family-car shape lies a tube-frame chassis and a mid-mounted twin-turbocharged 2.2-liter V-6 out of an IndyCar. The V-6 runs on a 100 percent renewable race fuel developed by Shell for the 2023 IndyCar season, which consists of ethanol derived from sugarcane waste and other biofuels. That engine is paired with an Xtrac six-speed paddle shift gearbox and a unique hybrid system composed of an electric motor developed by Empel and a supercapacitor from Skeleton Technologies. While supercapacitors cannot store as much as energy for as long as traditional batteries, they are efficient and can dispense lots of energy incredibly quickly, making it ideal for performance vehicles. The only production vehicle to use a supercapacitor was the limited-edition 2021 Lamborghini Sián. In a media roundtable, David Salters, president and technical director for Honda Performance Development, said that the system produces around 800 horsepower. Salters also explained the company was focusing on investigating new technologies, and emphasized good supercapacitors are a smart choice for delivering lots of power. The system can be used in a variety of ways, including a “push-to-pass” boost, regeneration under braking, filling in for the gas engine while lifting and coasting, and improving drivability by smoothing out turbo response. The CR-V Hybrid Racer’s rear suspension and brakes are adapted from the Dallara-built IndyCar, while the front suspension and brakes were borrowed from an Acura NSX GT-3 Evo22. The dynamic SUV concept rides on Firestone Firehawk Indy 500 summer tires measuring 285/35 up front and 305/35 at the rear, wrapped around 20-inch wheels. Honda says the CR-V Hybrid Racer’s dramatic looks were inspired by the Group B rally cars of the 1980s, and while the windshield and greenhouse are standard CR-V parts, the lower bodywork, which includes beefy fender flares, is custom-designed from carbon fiber. The vehicle features extreme aerodynamics, with a gigantic rear wing, a sharp front splitter, and sporty side skirts. Half-size butterfly doors provide access to the stripped-out interior.More Honda NewsThe Hybrid Racer also has a vivid, eye-catching wrap with a cross-section design that hints at elements of the IndyCar powertrain and also includes outlines of some of the tracks IndyCar competes at. The CR-V Hybrid Racer will debut at the Grand Prix of St. Petersburg this weekend, and it will make on-track demonstrations at several IndyCar events this year. Hopefully the CR-V Hybrid Racer inspired Honda to build a sportier CR-V for the road, possibly bearing the Si or Type-R moniker.This content is imported from poll. You may be able to find the same content in another format, or you may be able to find more information, at their web site.Associate News EditorCaleb Miller began blogging about cars at 13 years old, and he realized his dream of writing for a car magazine after graduating from Carnegie Mellon University and joining the Car and Driver team. He loves quirky and obscure autos, aiming to one day own something bizarre like a Nissan S-Cargo, and is an avid motorsports fan. More

With the mid-engined C8 Corvette, Chevy showed the world it was more than willing to take America’s favorite sports car in a dramatic new direction. The 2024 Corvette E-Ray that broke cover earlier this year proves the bow-tie brand is far from finished making radical changes. With all-wheel drive and a hybrid powertrain, the E-Ray is the first production Vette of its kind.To be clear, the E-Vette’s intentions are not to placate environmentalists or chase the trendiest new tech. Instead, the hybrid AWD variant is designed to do what the best Corvettes have always done: take performance to the next level. While we’ve already extensively covered the new E-Ray, now we’re further dissecting its newfound tech. Small-Block V-8 Meets Electrification When Chevy revealed the eighth-generation Corvette, chassis cutaways exposed the company’s future intentions. An empty tunnel filled the space between the driver and the passenger. The center of the front subframe had unused threaded holes. Something was missing.The E-Ray fills those voids. Stuffed within the center section is a 1.1-kWh lithium-ion battery pack made up of 80 refrigerant-chilled LG Chem pouch-type cells along with a liquid-cooled power inverter. LG designed the battery to discharge and charge rapidly, with its thermal state monitorable via new performance pages within the infotainment screen. Chevrolet says the entire assembly weighs roughly 100 pounds. Relocating the regular Corvette’s engine paved the way for the E-Ray, as the front motor otherwise would have no place to call home. Driving the front axle is an 80-pound permanent-magnet synchronous AC motor making 160 horsepower and 125 pound-feet of torque. An additional heat exchanger in the Corvette’s nose keeps that motor cool. The heart of the E-Ray is the 495-hp 6.2-liter V-8 plucked from the Stingray Z51. With the electric motor added to the equation, the total output is 655 horses. The E-Ray’s hybrid system kicks in extra power for acceleration and recharges when you’re coasting, braking, or using the Charge+ function on the move.The Corvette E-Ray’s hybrid system.Car and DriverE-Vette Performance ExpectationsThe E-Ray’s pure-electric driving is limited, with Chevy estimating barely five miles in Stealth mode. Above 45 mph or with a big shove of the accelerator, the V-8 crackles to life and seamlessly joins the party. Though EPA numbers have yet to be finalized, Chevy expects the E-Ray to return 19 mpg combined, same as the Stingray. Chevrolet claims 60 mph arrives in 2.5 seconds and that the E-Ray covers the quarter-mile in 10.5 seconds, making it potentially the quickest Corvette ever. Top speed is said to be above 180 mph. The electric motor stops contributing at 150 mph.Extra Corvette E-Ray ContentAn Unlikely Combination To counter the extra mass of the hybrid system (which pushes the curb weight to roughly 4000 pounds), the E-Ray is fitted with carbon-ceramic brakes. The standard 275/30ZR-20 front and 345/25ZR-21 rear Michelin Pilot Sport All Season 4 ZP tires (a tire size shared with the Z06) are said to be good for around 1.0 g. This combination gives the E-Ray the unique distinction of being the first production car to come standard with carbon-ceramic rotors and all-season tires. For more dry grip, Michelin Pilot Sport 4S summer tires are optional.The chassis and suspension go largely unchanged, apart from spring rates and a front anti-roll bar specific to the E-Ray, as well as some battery protection. Like the Z06, the E-Ray gets the magical magnetorheological dampers, with an elongated yoke at the lower attachment point on the front dampers to allow for the half-shafts to pass through. A raised shock tower elevates the upper mounting location to retain the same wheel travel as the Z06, and a redesigned crossmember links the towers to increase structural rigidity. The E-Ray will arrive this fall and start at $104,295 for the targa and $111,295 for the convertible. Are you ready to go E-Vette?Senior Testing EditorDavid Beard studies and reviews automotive related things and pushes fossil-fuel and electric-powered stuff to their limits. His passion for the Ford Pinto began at his conception, which took place in a Pinto. More

Following the Evija hypercar and Eletre SUV, we’ve spotted the third EV from Lotus testing in the Arctic Circle.The sedan—internally called Type 133 but expected to wear the Envya nameplate—features smooth, aerodynamic bodywork similar to the Eletre.The Envya will likely be revealed sometime this year, but it probably won’t arrive in the U.S. until the 2025 model year.Lotus, known for lightweight track toys, is going all-electric. Four new models—including the 2024 Eletre SUV revealed last year—are due by 2028, and new spy photos give us our first look at the brand’s upcoming sedan, codenamed Type 133. Likely to be revealed later this year, the slinky four-door will continue Lotus’ convention of names starting with “E,” with trademark filings suggesting it will be dubbed Envya or Etude. We expect it to wear the former moniker.Brian Williams|Car and DriverSpotted testing in the Arctic Circle, the Envya shows off slippery bodywork and curvy details. A split headlight design echoes the look of the Eletre, with a full-width element beneath two fierce “eyebrows” that will serve as daytime running lights. The Envya also features a sloping coupe-like roofline and appears to have a full-width taillights, although the chunky design seen in the photos probably isn’t the final look. The spy shots show headrests bearing the Recaro logo, and we expect the Envya to share its sports seats, steering wheel, and much of its dashboard design with the Eletre. Brian Williams|Car and DriverMore Lotus NewsThe Envya will mostly likely rival the Porsche Taycan, the Tesla Model S, and the Lucid Air. While it will be built on the same Lambda platform as the Eletre, Lotus might also capitalize on knowledge from Polestar, which is also under the Geely umbrella. The Swedish EV brand is currently developing its own high-performance sedan, the 884-hp Polestar 5, which is due in 2024. The Envya was originally supposed to launch for 2024, but we expect it will actually arrive in the United States for the 2025 model year. Stay tuned.This content is imported from poll. You may be able to find the same content in another format, or you may be able to find more information, at their web site.Associate News EditorCaleb Miller began blogging about cars at 13 years old, and he realized his dream of writing for a car magazine after graduating from Carnegie Mellon University and joining the Car and Driver team. He loves quirky and obscure autos, aiming to one day own something bizarre like a Nissan S-Cargo, and is an avid motorsports fan. More

Alfa Romeo’s CEO has confirmed the Giulia lineup will switch to an electric powertrain for 2025.Alfa expects the base version to produce 350 horsepower, the Veloce to produce 800 horsepower, and for the Quadrifoglio to make upward of 1000 horsepower.The new Giulia will be produced on the Stellantis Group’s STLA Large platform, with 800V, ultra-rapid charging, and a range of up to 500 miles. The achingly beautiful Alfa Romeo Giulia and its sinister Quadrifoglio variant will both make the switch to the electric era. Alfa’s CEO Jean-Philippe Imparato made the rounds through European newsrooms last week and confirmed the future of the Giulia sedan. Most important is that the Giulia nameplate will survive the electrification switch and will move to the Stellantis Group’s upcoming EV STLA Large platform. The STLA Large platform is based on the Giorgio platform that the Giulia is currently built on. According to an interview Imperato gave to the U.K.’s Top Gear, the electric Giulia will have up to 500 miles of range and will utilize 800-volt architecture, allowing for fast-charging. More Alfa RomeoUnfortunately, it appears the switch to electrification will signal the death of the steaming hot twin-turbo 2.9-liter V-6 from the current Giulia Quadrifoglio. The upside of the switch is a massive increase in power. Imparato told Top Gear that the base version will produce 350 horsepower, and the Veloce will make 800 horsepower. He also said the electrified Quadrifoglio will essentially double in power to 1000 horsepower. Alfa RomeoConsidering we’re two years out from the new car, we expect those figures to change a bit by launch time, but we’re excited by the estimates either way. Imparato went on to explain the importance of maintaining character through the electrification, “I don’t want you to suffer inconvenience from switching to EV. The question for me is not whether to switch to EV, it’s to get the right handling and agility.” The Veloce and Quadrifoglio could take on a similar setup to the upcoming Maserati GranTurismo Folgore, which has three electric motors—one at the front and two at the rear—but we expect the Alfa will use a skateboard battery configuration, while the Maserati battery uses some of the “engine” bay. This content is imported from poll. You may be able to find the same content in another format, or you may be able to find more information, at their web site.Associate News EditorJack Fitzgerald’s love for cars stems from his as yet unshakable addiction to Formula 1. After a brief stint as a detailer for a local dealership group in college, he knew he needed a more permanent way to drive all the new cars he couldn’t afford and decided to pursue a career in auto writing. By hounding his college professors at the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee, he was able to travel Wisconsin seeking out stories in the auto world before landing his dream job at Car and Driver. His new goal is to delay the inevitable demise of his 2010 Volkswagen Golf. More

UPDATE 2/27/23: Details related to supply-chain issues, as well as specific 2023 and 2024 model-year information, were added to this story.You don’t need to travel at the speed of light to witness time travel. In fact, all you need is a subscription to Car and Driver to see the theory at work. How else can you explain the way we always send you a magazine dated at least one month ahead of the month of receipt?It’s not just magazines that appear to bend the space-time continuum. Vehicle model years frequently differ from the official calendar year. Your calendar may display the year 2023, but somehow new-car dealerships across the country are starting to stock 2024-model cars and trucks. What gives?Blame Franklin D. Roosevelt. Originally, automobile model years tracked calendar years. However, that practice changed in the mid-1930s, after FDR signed an executive order that dictated automakers release their new vehicles in the fall of the preceding calendar year “as a means of facilitating regularization of employment in the [automotive] industry.” Auto assembly-line workers are typically idled during a new-model changeover, and the president reasoned that if their idle period were to happen earlier in the fall, autoworkers would be able to maintain employment through the holiday season and would thus be able to spend more money.Some 90 years later, the tradition of releasing new vehicles in the final months of the preceding calendar year remains common. This custom, however, is by no means set in stone. Under Environmental Protection Agency rules, manufacturers can introduce a next-model-year vehicle for public sale as early as January 2 of the preceding calendar year—for example, a 2024-model-year vehicle can be sold starting on January 2, 2023. Conversely, manufacturers can introduce and release a new vehicle for sale as late as December 31 of the corresponding calendar year, so a 2024-model-year vehicle can be introduced up to and including December 31, 2024. Due to this wide latitude, manufacturers often bring out vehicles well before—and after—the traditional pre-holiday period.Two examples from the recent past are the 2016 Kia Sorento and the 2016 Mazda CX-9. While both vehicles wore the same model-year designation, the two mid-size crossover SUVs were released at very different times. In Kia’s case, the Korean company began selling its new 2016 Sorento in January 2015. At the time, a Kia spokesperson explained: “Model-year designations may be assigned because of the vehicle’s larger life-cycle plan.” The spokesperson added that “marketing, fuel economy, and homologation reasons” are also at play in this decision, and regulatory requirements may change from model year to model year.Meanwhile, Mazda chose to release its then-new 2016 CX-9 in the middle of the 2016 calendar year—nearly a year and a half after its Kia competitor. At the time, a Mazda spokesperson noted to us that several factors went into the company’s decision to label the late-release CX-9 a 2016 model and not a 2017, including Mazda’s desire to avoid potential consumer confusion that can come from selling a next-model-year vehicle in the current calendar year.Like Kia’s spokesperson, though, Mazda’s acknowledged that marketing also played a role in the CX-9’s model-year designation: “Based on [model year] 2016 numbers, the CX-9 [had] the best fuel economy of any non-hybrid mid-size three-row [SUV] in its class.” Had Mazda marketed the CX-9 as a 2017 model-year vehicle, it potentially would have lost that brag-worthy claim. Though the Mazda CX-9 retained its fuel-economy crown among its non-hybrid peers for the 2017 model year, the brand had no way of knowing this at the time of the SUV’s debut.More recently, supply-chain issues—largely related to the COVID-19 pandemic, as well as other factors—have forced automakers to launch new model-year vehicles at earlier and later dates. For instance, Honda started selling the 2022 model-year Odyssey minivan early in the 2021 calendar year as a result of a supplier-related issue.As a spokesperson for the company shared with us at the time: “The timing of model year introductions varies from model to model for a number of reasons, some of which are out of our control. We pulled forward the introduction [of] the model year 2022 Odyssey primarily due to the discontinuation of the HondaVac feature in the Odyssey Elite at the conclusion of the 2021 model year based on a supplier issue.”More on the Sorento and CX-9Denoting a vehicle’s model year is its Vehicle Identification Number or VIN. In the early years, VINs—which were introduced in 1954—lacked any standardization. It wasn’t until 1981 that the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration required all vehicles sold in the United States to adopt today’s 17-character VIN, the tenth of which designates the model year. The letter P indicates the 2023 model year—or the 1993 model year—and R means 2024.Before the ascension of the VIN, manufacturers relied on their own internal serial numbers for marking specific vehicle information. This convention allowed automakers the freedom to determine a vehicle’s model year at will. Case in point: Faced with a backlog of unsold cars in 1951, Kaiser simply added a handful of new trim pieces and changed the serial numbers of leftover 1951 models in order to sell the cars as new ’52s. The company did the same thing two years later, renumbering unsold 1953 cars as 1954 models.Ultimately, the reasons a vehicle’s model year often fails to sync with today’s calendar year are fourfold: historical precedent, regulatory rules, marketing considerations, and, as of late, supply-chain issues. Time travel, however, has nothing to do with it—unless you happened upon a DeLorean in the mid-1950s.This story was originally published on November 11, 2016.Senior EditorDespite their shared last name, Greg Fink is not related to Ed “Big Daddy” Roth’s infamous Rat Fink. Both Finks, however, are known for their love of cars, car culture, and—strangely—monogrammed one-piece bathing suits. Greg’s career in the media industry goes back more than a decade. His previous experience includes stints as an editor at publications such as U.S. News & World Report, The Huffington Post, Motor1.com, and MotorTrend. More