Honda announced that its 2013 Accord lineup will feature the first application of a new two-motor plug-in hybrid system to the Accord Sedan. 

The Honda two-motor hybrid system will move continuously through three modes — all-electric, gasoline-electric and direct-drive — to maximize driving efficiency and fuel economy, Honda said. In all-electric mode, the 2013 Accord Plug-In Hybrid will use a 6 kilowatt-hour, lithium-ion battery and a 120 kW electric motor to achieve an all-electric range of 10-15 miles in city driving and a top speed of 62 mph. 

Fully recharging the battery will take less than four hours using a 120-volt outlet and less than 1.5 hours using a 240-volt charger.

In the gasoline-electric hybrid mode, the Accord will be powered by its 2.0-liter, i-VTEC inline four-cylinder Atkinson cycle engine, paired with an electric Continuously Variable Transmission (E-CVT). 

For more efficient high-speed cruising, the Accord Plug-In Hybrid can engage in a direct-drive mode, in which only the engine drives the front wheels.

The Accord Plug-In Hybrid launches next winter.

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