Earlier this month, at the EICMA trade show in Milan, Italy, Honda dropped this little bomb on the moto industry. In development is an all-new V3 engine featuring what would seem to be a stunningly good idea: an electrically-driven, computer-controlled mini-compressor.
Not a lot of details were provided except to state that this engine would be a 75° V3 (two cylinders in front, one in back) "for larger displacement machines."
Honda claims the electric turbo to be an industry first, its huge advantage being the ability "to control compression of the intake air irrespective of engine RPM, meaning that high-response torque can be delivered even from lower RPM."
Honda has dabbled in the V3 layout in the past with the NS400R and exhaust-driven turbo-charging back in the '70/80s with the CX500/650 Turbo, but this independently-driven electric compressor has the potential of addressing the deficiencies of that traditional turbo design. No word on the first model planned for the new engine, but the photos suppled showed this very cool trellis-style, single-sided swingarm, sportbike-looking frame — the engine and drivetrain barely twice as wide as the rear tire.
I'm thinking a 750cc new-age Interceptor with ~150 horsepower and gobs of mid-range torque. Sounds like fun!
Honda claims the electric turbo to be an industry first, its huge advantage being the ability "to control compression of the intake air irrespective of engine RPM, meaning that high-response torque can be delivered even from lower RPM."
Honda has dabbled in the V3 layout in the past with the NS400R and exhaust-driven turbo-charging back in the '70/80s with the CX500/650 Turbo, but this independently-driven electric compressor has the potential of addressing the deficiencies of that traditional turbo design. No word on the first model planned for the new engine, but the photos suppled showed this very cool trellis-style, single-sided swingarm, sportbike-looking frame — the engine and drivetrain barely twice as wide as the rear tire.
I'm thinking a 750cc new-age Interceptor with ~150 horsepower and gobs of mid-range torque. Sounds like fun!
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