The evidence is mounting that Acura's Hybrid Era is over. The new TLX did not offer a Sport Hybrid and instead made the Type S an ICE. The new MDX did the same. And now Acura has announced the NSX Sport Hybrid will end with the 2022 Model Type S. I think Acura will pivot to EV. What do you think?

 

I've always heard hybrids and plug-in hybrids are just a place holder until we can go BEV down the road. The lower gas prices, pandemic, cost, Americans don't like/understand hybrids/EVs, and reluctance from the last administration to commit to EVs put most manufactures behind. Honda/Acura is partnering with GM with the Ultium battery pack (same being used in the electric Hummer). They are expecting a 150,000 to 200,000 miles of battery service life, faster charging, and up to 400 mile range with max configuration (double stacked and connected in parallel).

I love my hybrid and was really hoping Acura would up their hybrid game and provide a plug-in MDX option. My biggest issue is living in the southwest with extreme heat, 70-80 mph hwy speeds with 2-4 hrs between major town gas stops, and elevations between 4000-11,000 feet. I can drive to San Antonio from ABQ in around 11 hrs. It would probably take me 14-30 hours in a long range Tesla depending on the type of charger I can find. Not an issue in my hybrid MDX/RLX with A/C on max and ELS/Krell volume on 20.

 

It would be a real shame if they discontinue their hybrid engines. The cars are so much better in so many ways than their gasoline only counterparts! It is a mystery to me why they failed commercially. Especially when the MSRP price difference was only $1500 more. For that you get a faster car, much more fuel efficiency, better gear box, longer lasting break system, adjustable shocks (in the Tech compared to gasoline tech).No towing though, but that probably is the minority of users.
Acura is far from an all electric car, so their decision is even harder to comprehend.

 

Looking at the sales of electric hybrids if Acura stays blind then i'll be trading in my Mdx Hyrbid in the next 2-3 years for a better sporty solution. I travel 60 miles a day and if Acura offers 3rd tier products im out for good.

-Dad

 

That is one of the big downsides of the Acura Sport Hybrids I wish was a little better of not much improvement in mpgs with a lot of hwy driving compared to the 3.5L MDX. I'm going to try and hang on to my MDX/RLX hybrids until the BEVs can go 400-500 miles per charge, take 30 mins or less for 80% charge, and the fast charging infrastructure is getting as close as possible as the corner gas station of today. Thinking that will take around 10 years minimal for that to even start to happen.

I can see a future of BEVs that might be possible of:
- being able to fast charge at home using plug and/or induction with home solar and home whole house battery storage
- induction charging option along with plug in at home, work, shopping, and travel
- driver-less EVs with a feature you can set to draft behind other EVs vehicles on the hwy (must be computer control, no manual drafting)
- mobile EV recharge drive-less vehicles on the hwy. Computer controlled and you connect and recharge are hwy speeds like the Air force does with tankers and jets
- having a 3rd EV induction lanes on the hwy to recharge at hwy speeds with induction (same as meglev trains only activating the tracks section above the train)
- option to dial in the power or range we want (500 hp for towing or down to 150 hp for range)
- maybe even a change back to the body on frame EV powertrain+battery pack and you can put a sedan, sports car, convertible, truck, or mini van on top. You can rent an EV minivan top for vacation and switch back to your sedan when you get back.

 

I didn't get rid of the MDX, yet. But I did get rid of my hybrid RLX for a Lincoln Aviator Grand Touring. Chose it over the Volvo. It is a PHEV, albeit with limited full electric range. It has every bell, whistle, and safety feature I wanted, with torque for towing, and it flies. My only concern in the purchase was the reliability. Time will answer that question. I will keep my eye out for what Acura does going forward. Was certainly very disappointed they canned the MDX and RLX hybrids. And now the NSX. Again, time will tell.

 

The Lincoln Aviator Grand Touring is a tq monster! I'll bet the Lincoln makes the RLX hybrid feel like a civic when you want to have a little fun.

 

Yep. It has what Lincoln calls an Excite mode. When you put it in that mode, you get the I.C.E. and the battery power combined - 494 hp and 630 lb-ft of torque!!!!!!!!

 

The biggest problem with EV is not the vehicles, its the infastructure necessary to charge all these cars. As it stands today our power grid does not have enough capacity so supply power to all the homes, especially in places like CA. How do our "smart" leaders think we will get the power for more EVs?

 

Car & Driver did a 1000 miles Cannon Ball Run with all the popular EVs available now (July/Aug issue). It took anywhere from 90 minutes to 11 hours with the average around 6-7 hours of charging time along the way to make the trip. Some reason, Car & Driver didn't count the charge time from midnight to 8am with the totals for the 1000 mile trip? That would ruin road trips without the proper fast charging infrastructure at every location you find a gas stations. At the same time, smaller towns/markets could set up fast charger stations and create a whole economy of restaurants, hotels, shops, site seeing around it (like the biggest ball of yarn road side attractions when I was a kid way before the internet AND cable TV).

 

Other than charging infrastructure, the EV battery technology needs to become more mature as well.

Hopefully some magic battery compound will be developed that allows a super-fast 15-30 mins charge cycle from empty to full, using just regular (not the scarce Supercharger) charging stations, and this will alleviate the endless demand for more charging stations.

 

I've heard Acura will make only 350 NSX vehicles in Type-S flavor as a 2022 model. Acura will discontinue the NSX after. Another hybrid bites the dust.