Honda’s R&D engineers have been developing the brand’s next generation of high efficiency, high output ICE engines, and this has resulted in them showcasing their new ICE concept at EICMA.
The new engine is a water-cooled, 75-degree V3 that is being developed for larger displacement machines in the future. It is designed to be extremely slim and compact, and it features the world’s first electrical compressor for motorcycles. This electronically operated compressor is able to control compression of the intake air irrespective of engine RPM, meaning that high-response torque can be delivered even from lower RPMs. It does not require an intercooler either. Which essentially means that it is like a turbo in regards to performance gains. But because the fan is electronically operated and not dependent on exhaust gasses, it can operate in whatever rev range thus eliminating turbo lag completely. Unlike a supercharger you also don’t need to spool up the engine to experience the performance gains.
While no further specs about this concept have been revealed, we can expect this engine to be used in Honda’s future supersport and performance oriented motorcycles. This concept also strengthens Honda’s commitment towards ICE engines, with the learnings allowing them to extract more performance from relatively compact powertrains.