2024 Honda CR-V Hybrid INDYCAR Racer Technical Specs

Starting next year after the calendar officially turns to 2024, the NTT INDYCAR SERIES will officially have hybrid power units competing in its events. But waiting a whole year just wasn’t enough for Honda, so earlier this year they built a one-off vehicle and have been showing it off ever since. What was this one-off vehicle? A Honda CR-V Hybrid built to give a sneak peek at what this new INDYCAR technology will look like next year. In other words, as Honda put it themselves, it’s “an INDYCAR wolf in CR-V clothing.” The vehicle made its debut at the FIrestone Grand Prix of St. Petersburg, and we were stoked to see it. So, today, we thought we’d highlight some of the technical specs and details regarding the vehicle for you.

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Hybrid Powertrain

Beneath the hood of this incredible CR-V Hybrid Racer is 2.2L twin-turbo V6 engine, featuring Borg Warner EFR7163 turbochargers and tethered to an XTRAC six-speed transmission system with Mega-Line Assisted paddle shifters. Other technologies and features found within the powertrain include a Tag 400i Engine Control Unit from McLaren Applied Technologies, a drive-by-wire controlled port throttle, a driver-activated Empel electric motor generator unit and a Skeleton supercapacitor energy storage system. On top of all that, the vehicle operates on Shell 100% renewable race fuel.

Chassis & Bodywork

When it comes to the vehicle’s architecture, it’s built on a Chromoly tube frame chassis and features upper bodywork of the all-new, sixth-generation Honda CR-V Hybrid alongside custom carbon fiber lower bodywork. The windshield and greenhouse are both stock to the CR-V Hybrid, but the vehicle has been further upgraded with things like a butterfly half-cut doors, a radiator originally found in the Dallara IR-18 Indy car and adapted for this model by HPD, a clamshell rear bodywork and custom pieces to produce downforce, including the front splitter and rear wing.

Suspension System

Finally, the suspension system has also been highly upgraded for this INDYCAR racer version of the Honda CR-V Hybrid. It features the same suspension found on the Acura NSX GT-3 Evo22 in the front, and in the back HPD once again used the Dallara IR-18 to adapt. Brakes feature Brembo 380 mm in the front and 355mm in the rear, again adapted from the NSX and Dallara models respectively. The wheels were developed by 2Elle Engineering, featuring two-piece alloy wheels sized 20×10.5 in the front and 20×11 in back. The wheels are wrapped in Firestone FIrehawk Indy 500 Ultra-High Performance summer tires, sized 285/35-20 in the front and 305/35-20 in back.

As the founder of Honda, Soichiro Honda, once said – racing improves the breed. So, while this might not be a vehicle you or I will ever drive, it will improve the Honda lineup in time, we’re sure of it. If you’d like to try out a regular 2023 Honda CR-V Hybrid for yourself, don’t hesitate to get in touch with us.