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Next-gen Honda Accord PHEV may have 39-mile EV range [UPDATE]

UPDATE: Disregard what The Asahi Shimbun said on this. The paper apparently conflated the upcoming Clarity-based PHEV and the non-plug Accord Hybrid and has since updated its article. We got an email from Honda clarifying the situation: The refreshed Accord Hybrid, slated to launch in the middle of this year, will not have a plug-in variant. Honda will bring a new, dedicated plug-in hybrid to market by 2018 that leverages the same platform that underpins the upcoming Clarity Fuel Cell. This new PHEV will feature more than triple the 13-mile electric range of the last generation Accord Plug-in Hybrid. We apologize for the error. Honda's next-generation Accord Plug-in Hybrid could triple the previous model's electric driving range when the new one debuts in the US in 2018. To achieve such a significant improvement, the company would equip the PHEV with a higher capacity battery of the same physical size and more efficient electric motors, according to the The Asahi Shimbun. The next Accord PHEV could drive the equivalent of 68 miles in EV mode, the newspaper claims. However, we believe this figure comes from the Japanese test on electric models, which produces higher figures than the US evaluation. Tripling the 2014 Accord Plug-in's EPA-estimated 13-mile range suggests a number closer to 39 miles when the new generation reaches this country. A figure around 39 miles would still make the 2018 Accord a contender among the current PHEV sedans. For example, the EPA rates the Hyundai Sonata Plug-in at a 27-mile range and estimates the Ford Fusion Energi at 20 miles. The latest Chevrolet Volt, which would likely be smaller than the Honda, wins out with 53 miles of driving distance, though. Honda plans a new pure EV and PHEV in its US lineup by 2018, and the plug-in shares a chassis with the upcoming FCEV fuel cell sedan. The next-gen Accord would give the company another flavor of PHEV to offer customers, too. American Honda Motor Executive Vice President John Mendel told Autoblog last year the company would update the standard Accord Hybrid in 2016 and introduce the next PHEV variant here in 2018. Related Video:

Honda Rebel, cult beginner bike and urban cruiser, reborn for 2017

Back in 1985, Honda rolled out the original Rebel, which housed the Nighthawk 250's workaday parallel twin in a seriously '80s-style "factory custom" cruiser. It was a hit, being simultaneously cheap, extremely economical, and very easy to ride. With an exceptionally low step-over height, it was popular with younger and shorter riders too. And still is ... a full generation later, you can buy a brand-new Rebel 250 for $4,510. If that's simply too retro for you, there's a much more compelling option on the way: the all-new Rebel 300 and 500, just unveiled and going on sale next year. The 300 will use the water-cooled single found in the lower-end CB and CBR models, and the 500 will use a water-cooled parallel twin from the mid-sized CB and CBRs. It's a smart plan: a full range of smaller bikes in several different body styles, so there's something that should appeal to every entry-level rider (or any experienced rider who just wants a bang-around bike). The new Rebels look pretty cool, too. The radiator isn't all that prominent in profile. The wheels look like classic motorcycle alloys, but lean and modernized. The trellis-style frame supports an upright and shapely tank, and the solo saddle blends well with the pre-bobbed rear fender. The overall look is surprisingly upscale, and should also be a great basis on which to build inexpensive custom bikes of every shape and style you can think of. If you are a new rider, or just like little bikes, this is a great new option from Honda. Both bikes will have safety features riders want right now, like optional ABS. The colors at launch will be silver, yellow, black, and red – unless you want ABS, in which case black is the only choice. The 300 is expected to start at $4,399 and the 500 at $5,999, and both of these prices likely don't include an expected delivery charge of around $300. We'll get more exact pricing in December, and the bikes will hit dealers in April of 2017. Related Video:

Watch a motorcycle racer nearly rub the wall at Macau's track

Motorcycle racer John McGuinness is no stranger to dangerous racetracks, having scored multiple victories in the frequently deadly Isle of Man TT. In this video, he trades the Snaefell Mountain Course's winding roads for the incredibly tight confines of the Macau Grand Prix circuit. The track is like China's version of the Circuit de Monaco, and it looks barely wide enough for two bikes to fit at some points in this clip. The claustrophobic layout makes the street track famously difficult for racing and occasionally deadly. McGuinness gives viewers a great tour of the track on his Honda Fireblade, and he frequently has his shoulders nearly grazing against the wall. You really get a sense of just how narrow the course gets. The ride looks both terrifying and very fun. If you want to see more of McGuinness' skill, here's a clip of him riding at Le Mans at night. We look forward to watching him at the Isle of Man again this year, too. McGuinness not only set a new electric bike lap record there in 2015 but also won the SES TT Zero Challenge. Related Video: This content is hosted by a third party. To view it, please update your privacy preferences. Manage Settings.