Among the most praised performance cars worldwide, the Civic Type R moniker has a place, and the FL5 generation brings a lot of changes - more power, better driving dynamics, and a sleeker aesthetic. However, the current generation Type R could be the final iteration of the performance car with an ICE under the hood. Honda officials have already started thinking about the electric vehicle, which will be a suitable replacement. A report from The Drive confirms the next-gen Civic Type R will pack more advanced battery technology, which will charge faster, be more efficient, produce less heat, and even make the car lightweight.
Future Civic Type R Will Retain Its Fun-To-Drive Factor, Even Though It Will Be A BEV
The Civic Type R has always been a stellar performer in the list of affordable sports cars. However, the Type R has gained weight over the years, mainly because of the added sound-deadening materials, more technical features, and luxury. So adding an electric powertrain with a battery pack under the skin will not make the enthusiasts happy since EVs are not lightweight from the start.
To retain its engineering superiority, Honda seems to have plans to follow in BMW and Porsche’s footsteps to incorporate solid-state batteries in the upcoming Type R models. According to Honda’s managing officer, Shinji Aoyama, the solid-state battery will be lighter than traditional battery packs. Being lightweight is one of the crucial parts of a sports car, which is why Pagani insists on selling V-12-powered hypercars even when most of its competition is adopting electrification.
However, other qualities of a solid-state battery have been heralded by the Japanese automaker's CEO, Toshihiro Mibe. "A characteristic of solid-state batteries is that they don’t overheat, meaning that the cooling systems for these (performance) electric vehicles can be simplified in terms of size and weight,” he told The Drive. This means the Type R will benefit from the advanced battery technology potentially alongside upcoming Honda EVs. The newly unveiled Honda Prologue SUV, which now underpins GM’s Ultium battery platform, could also be a global model in the future with the in-house developed solid-state battery tech.
The Future Civic Type R EV Could Be A Lot More Powerful Than The Current Generation Car
Cars like the Mercedes-AMG C63 S prove that electrification unlocks unimaginable amounts of power while reducing emissions. We can expect similar results from the electrified Civic Type R. The current iteration of the car produces a total of 306 horsepower and 295 pound-feet of torque from the tried-and-tested K20C1 2.0-liter turbocharged four-pot. Swapping the engine with single or dual electric motors can give the Type R a boost of at least 80-100 horsepower over the current figures. Also, the capability of an AWD system will improve traction and finally compete with its arch-rivals. the Volkswagen Golf R and Toyota GR Corolla.