The Acura TSX’s Electric Car Timeline

During the 2010 Detroit Auto Show that took place in January, the CEO of Honda Takanobu Ito basically guaranteed that Acura would soon be making the leap into the electric marketplace with some hybrid technology being introduced.  Although at the time the remarks were taken to be a little bit cryptic, the fact of the matter is that he has been proven right by time.  A few months later, it was revealed that the 2011 model of the Acura TSX, a long time entry-level luxury sedan stalwart on the assembly lines of Honda, will incorporate hybrid technology into its engine.

The hybrid engine that the 2011 Acura TSX will use has not been specified as of yet, but it is expected that it will be the same kind of hybrid technology that Acura has been experimenting with in the larger context of the Honda product lines.  This means that there will be a conventional V6 engine next to an electric engine that is battery powered.  Smoother acceleration curves will allow the driver of the car to use the electric engine more often and the regenerative braking will also allow the driver to recharge the battery powering the electric engine whenever they brake.

At the moment this is little more than speculation, but if it is true it means that the 2011 Acura TSX will be the first foray into the electric car market for Acura.  They do not have any plans to create fully electric automobiles anytime soon, but they have said that if the Acura TSX sells well in its hybrid form they will quickly begin to create other hybrid engines within their major product lines and make those available from 2012 onwards.

The Acura TSX

The tagline for the 2010 Acura TSX, the car currently in circulation that will be closest in design to the 2011 hybrid Acura TSX, is that it is technically perfect.  This is of course a slogan more than it is a statement of fact, but there are many pieces of technology within the car that have made it uniquely excellent as far as luxury sedans are concerned.

An example of this would be the navigational abilities of this car.  The GPS included with the 2010 Acura TSX is one of the most intelligent around with the ability to understand almost 600 different commands that you could give it.  It also has not only driving directions to just about anywhere in North America, but it also has Zagat functionality to let you know things about the places you travel.  Cars sold in Canada also have the added benefit of being bilingual between English and French.

The 2010 Acura TSX is also notable for having one of the best sound systems of any luxury sedan out there that has a comparable cost to it.  The full audio upgrade that is available for the 2010 model and will be available for the 2011 hybrid model as well will station 10 different speakers throughout the car for a surround sound effect that is difficult to match for any comparable sedan.  Combine this with Bluetooth functionality and hands-free wireless within the car and you’ve certainly got a recipe for high convenience within the Acura TSX.

Conclusion

If the 2011 Acura TSX does indeed end up including hybrid technology along the lines discussed above, it will be a very good spokesperson for electrification.  The features of the Acura TSX have ensured that people will love this car for its convenience and the Honda hybrid technology will also make sure that they love it for its performance.  The electric aspect to many consumers will likely just be icing on that very delicious cake.