Honda plans all-electric models, plug-in hybrids by 2018

Honda’s Detroit auto show stand had a little bit of everything this year—a quarter-scale model of its new North Carolina-built HondaJet, a 50-year-old racecar, and the FCV fuel cell concept car from 2013. But Honda’s big news involved none of those things, but rather the announcement that many of its upcoming cars are getting charged, literally, under the hood.

Starting late this year, the first of Honda’s new VTEC turbocharged four-cylinder engines will start rolling off the line at Honda’s Anna, Ohio, engine plant. Honda did not reveal the displacement of said engines, which models they might propel, or howmuch power and torque they are expected to produce. But they will come—soon—and when the details emerge, we will broadcast them to the world. After all, the 2.0-liter turbo in the new Civic Type R that Honda is selling in Europe this year will produce “at least” 276 hp, and even if we don’t get the Civic Type R here, an engine like that would be mighty nice to have in an Accord or a CR-V.

Honda also revealed its plans to introduce two all-new models that can be charged from a wall socket: one plug-in hybrid and one battery electric vehicle. As with the turbo engine announcement, Honda was mum on any further details about vehicle size, shape, style or electric range of the new models, except that they both will be introduced “by 2018.” And in the car world, that’s right around the corner