Honda drops hints of an electrified Type R

The latest Civic Type R is the only non-electrified Honda model, at least in the United Kingdom, but give it a few more years and that may not be the case.

In the era of electrification and strict emission standards, Honda welcomes the challenge of making the next-generation Civic Type R cleaner and greener without losing its character which delivers the brand’s ‘joy of driving.’

“Carbon neutrality doesn’t have to be focused on the powertrain itself. It can have the possibility of achieving it even though you are driving a car with an ICE (internal combustion engine). So, I would not reject the possibility that the next Type R can be ICE. However, given the current circumstances, this is very unlikely,” said Hideki Kakinuma, lead engineer for Honda’s Type R project.

In an article published by Autocar UK, he affirmed that “without a Type R, there is no Honda,” and that driving pleasure is the essence of private mobility and personal mobility.

Kakinuma did not reveal Honda’s electrification plans for the Civic Type R but he did say that hybrid assistance or battery-electric propulsion is not entirely out of the question.

“But the Type R itself does not depend on the powertrain. It’s a certain philosophy, a principle of the joy of driving, and that involves a lot of aspects… If this excitement can be provided with a certain powertrain that is carbon neutral or somewhat electrified – or a completely different technology – this will also be justifiably a Type R,” added Kakinuma.

If it were up to you, would you prefer a fully electrified Civic Type R or a hybrid-assisted model?