Honda Malaysia now offers an e:HEV hybrid on six of its nine model lines, from the City sedan and hatchback through the HR-V, Civic and CR-V to the Prelude coupe launched in June. The system also has a Malaysian connection: the fifth-generation City RS e:HEV made its world debut here in October 2020, before going on sale in March 2021. The easiest way to think of e:HEV is as an EV that makes its own electricity.
e:HEV is the badge; the system underneath is what Honda calls i-MMD, or Intelligent Multi-Mode Drive. It’s made up of five main parts:
An Atkinson-cycle petrol engine: a 1.5 litre DOHC i-VTEC unit in the City, City Hatchback and HR-V, or a 2.0 litre direct-injection unit in the Civic, CR-V and Prelude. An Atkinson-cycle engine closes its inta
