New Honda Prelude Will Get Next-Gen e:HEV Powertrain with Simulated Shifts

The new Honda Prelude Hybrid will get the brand’s next-gen e:HEV powertrain system with simulated gear shifts.

Ever since its first public appearance back in Oct 2023, the new Honda Prelude concept has been making headlines left and right, and that is despite Honda being rather secretive regarding its details. Fortunately, the wait is no more, as the Japanese automaker has now provided us with more details regarding the powertrain setup for this sleek two-door sportscar.

The new Prelude will be the first model to debut Honda's next-gen e:HEV hybrid powertrain system.

While Honda makes no secret that the new Prelude will feature an electrified powertrain setup, little is known about its underbone, with previous rumours speculating that it’ll get the same 2.0-litre e:HEV hybrid powertrain setup primed on the current-gen Civic FE. However, that turns out to be not entirely true, as the new Prelude will instead be powered by Honda’s next-gen e:HEV hybrid powertrain setup, making it the first production model to debut the new tech.

Still using a 2.0-litre 4-cyl nat-asp Atkinson Cycle petrol engine as its core, the next-gen e:HEV setup is designed to be more compact than its predecessor while harbouring two new electric motors that promise to provide 10% better efficiency. Another previous rumour debunked here is regarding the transmission, as the new Prelude will get Honda’s new S+ Shift system that uses the electric motors to simulate gear changes—basically Honda’s attempt to replicate what Hyundai did with the Ioniq 5 N.

This means that the new Prelude won’t be using a traditional mechanical transmission system, which is understandable given that the electric motors will be doing most of the driving in this new hybrid system. To help drivers feel more engaged, Honda has also tied up the new S+ Shift system with fake engine noises by amplifying the sound of the four-cylinder engine.

More on this S+ Shift system, Honda said this new transmission setup uses the same control method found on the nine-speed DCT unit that was used on the second-gen NSX hybrid supercar. Besides the Prelude, Honda will also introduce the S+ Shift to all of its next-gen e:HEV models, meaning that we can even experience this trick system in some more ‘mundane’ models in the future.

Aside from the next-gen e:HEV system, Honda also revealed that the new Prelude shares the same underpinnings as the current-gen Civic model, albeit with some performance-oriented upgrades. For starters, the car’s wheelbase has been shortened, the tracks are widened, while the suspension system has been tuned to make the Prelude feel sportier without compromising much on the comfort. Not to forget, the platform’s rigidity has also been improved, while being 10% lighter than the Civic.

Last but not least, the new Honda Prelude Hybrid prototype with the next-gen e:HEV system will be making its inaugural public debut alongside the new Honda Civic Type R Racing Black edition at the upcoming Tokyo Auto Salon 2025 (TAS 2025), which is set to take place from Jan 10 to 12 next year. This will eventually be followed by its official debut, with Japan, Europe, and now the US being amongst the markets confirmed to get this new hybrid sportscar.