Honda has launched its ‘CR-V Hybrid Racer’ as a means of promoting the forthcoming hybridisation of IndyCars and of learning more about the 2023 power units. Known otherwise as ‘The HPD Beast’ this machine puts a current 2.2 litre V6 twin-turbo Honda IndyCar engine and transmission, hybridised, under 2023 Honda CR-V Hybrid bodywork.
Honda says this is “to create the ‘rolling laboratory’ for the continued development of electrified technology by Honda and HPD”. It adds, “ The CR-V Hybrid Racer runs on Shell’s 100% renewable race fuel; and features world-leading Skeleton Supercapacitors and Empel MGU hybrid motor technology.”
David Salters, president and technical director for HPD, the North American racing arm of American Honda and Acura said, “This project vehicle is an IndyCar ‘beast’ in Honda CR-V ‘sheep’s clothing’. The CR-V Hybrid Racer is our ‘rolling electrified laboratory’, to investigate where the talented men and women of HPD and Honda could go with electrification, hybrid technology and 100% renewable fuels.”
Honda reports that the machine was conceived and designed by the engineers at HPD in California together with designers from the North America Auto Design Division (NAAD) of American Honda. It was then built at Honda Automotive Development Center (ADC) in Ohio by the Honda of America Racing Team (HART).
The Beast has a chromoly steel tube chassis to take the hybridised IndyCar powertrain and is clothed in bodywork designed by NAAD. From the beltline up, the Hybrid Racer has a standard production sixth-generation CR-V steel body, including the glass windshield, windows and even the sunroof.
The Honda CR-V Hybrid Racer powertrain specification includes the Honda HI23TT 2.2 litreV6 with twin Borg Warner EFR7163 turbochargers, the Tag 400i Engine Control Unit from McLaren Applied Technologies and drive-by-wire controlled port throttle. The Empel electric motor generator unit is driver activated and is married to an Xtrac six-speed transmission having a Mega-Line Assisted paddle-shift.
The Honda CR-V Hybrid Racer made its public debut March 3-5 at IndyCar’s season-opening Firestone Grand Prix of St. Petersburg, Florida.