What we know!

Previewing the hybrid powertrains, the Hybrid Racer has its own incredible back story! Its construction of what is aptly dubbed “The Beast” encompassed a 14-month long in-house project, including meticulous hand-fabrication that is necessary in building the world’s only SUV powered by an IndyCar drivetrain.

Considered truly a “passion project” for all involved at Honda when it comes to the vehicle’s design, engineering and construction, the “Beast” encapsulates the automaker’s fun-to-drive mantra as well as pays homage to its racing heritage.

The Hybrid Racer was born and designed by Honda Performance Development based in California, built completely by Honda engineers as part of the automaker’s continued development and commitment to its electrified motorsport programs. Constructed by an all-voluteer group whose passion propelled the project forward, the vehicle came to be at Honda’s North American Automotive Development Center in Ohio.

Its dramatic looks pay homage to the Group B rally cars of the 1980s, with windshield and greenhouse standard CR-V parts and the lower bodywork, inclUding beefy fender flares, are custom-designed from carbon fiber. The Hybrid Racer also features extreme aerodynamics, a gigantic rear wing, a sharp front splitter and sporty side skirts. Half-size butterfly doors provide access to the stripped-out interior.

In other design cues, the Racer also features a vivid, eye-catching wrap with a cross-section design that hints at elements of the Indycar powertrain, with outlines of some of the tracks IndyCar competes at included.

The vehicle boasts both extreme power and performance capability of electrified powertrains, while presenting as a special one-off exterior. It is a vehicle thats inspiration derives from the wild GT racing and Group B rally cars of the 1980s and 1990s.

Considered a key step in Honday’s electrification strategy, this vehicle follows a likely path, and is rooted in the automaker’s long history in motorsports. To that end, it currently supplies engines to five teams in IndyCar.

Described by Honda as a “rolling laboratory” that provides a sneak preview of the next era of IndyCar racing, the CR-V is also strong in its resemblance to the automaker’s ever-popular CR-V. Yet underneath the family-car shape reveals a tube-frame chassis and a mid-mounted twin-turbocharged 2.2-liter V-6 out of an IndyCar. The V-6 runs on solely renewable race fuel developed by Shell and which consists of ethanol derived from sugarcane waste and other biofuels.

That engine is also 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.

These supercapacitors, while they cannot store as much energy as a traditional battery, do in fact provide efficiency while dispensing lots of energy quickly, therefore making an ideal scenario for high-performance vehicles.

As stated above, and worth repeating, this overall system produces 800 horsepower, making clear the fact that these systems are great for delivering lots and lots of power.

In the area of rear suspension and brakes, the CR-V Hybrid Racer’s are adapted from the Dallara-built IndyCar, while the front suspension and brakes were borrowed from an Acura NSX GT-3 Evo22.

Showcasing extreme power and performance due to its electrified powertrains, this special one-off supports Honda’s overall electrification straegy. Truly an “IndyCar wolf in CR-V clothing,” the Racer will debut at the Firestone Grand Prix of St. Petersburg and features key incoming technology. Epitomizing the fun-to-drive mantra and rooted in great looks and a racing heritage, the Hybrid Racer is one for the books and for the looks! On your mark, get set: Introducing the Beast. See what this racer is all about!