The most wonderful car at SEMA is this mid-engine Honda Civic Hybrid built by some college kids



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This Honda Civic rallycross rider will zoom to 60 mph in about 2 seconds. A technical specification of 700 horsepower, 850 pound-feet of torque, four-wheel drive, four-wheel steering, regeneration of brakes and exhaust emissions that surpasses EPA's 2025 (2025) standards will kill almost everything else on the SEMA floor. The Civic, dubbed "Deep Orange 9", has a supercharged K20 engine on the rear and a 200 horsepower electric battery motor in front. project designed by Honda engineers to show the future essentially the main thesis of the engineering program of Clemson University.

The project took 18 months, from design to the current location, and students tell me that at least 12 months were in the design and programming phase. They did not really tear apart until about six months ago. Their goal was to produce a car much faster than the average of cars currently on the market, but with significantly improved emissions. It seems that they have succeeded.

The team started with a Honda Civic white body and a stack of parts. The K Series on the back came from an Acura sedan dismantled, and students at the Clemson University International Automotive Research Center have dramatically improved their power through a large compressor . The design team has added an active back guide system of their own design, just to spice things up.

The engine is accessible through the rear doors. The fuel tank is on the back seat, now the engine compartment. The battery is in the footwell where the passenger seat was once located. Of course, both are separated from the driver by thick firewalls and a roll bar is integrated for optimum safety.

After talking to the children who assembled this monster from a rallycross car, they are really smart. I want to build my own home-brewed hybrid. They were able to answer many questions that most people thought were impossible. Things like managing the distribution of energy and communication between the autonomous engine shield and the management of the electric vehicle engine did not cause them any problems. They are the real deal.

Things at SEMA get lost in the commotion, and most people were walking beside this car, happily oblivious to being in the presence of pure badasserie. For most visitors to the Fender Flare And Big Truck Nationals in Vegas this week, it was just another Honda Civic with flares and a hide and seek. I was attracted by the bright orange high-voltage wiring of the electric vehicle's signature in the engine compartment. This is not normally the case with a Honda Civic.

From everything I saw at SEMA this week, this one takes me even further by thinking about it. This is the perfect opportunity for students to learn the technical disciplines needed in today's automotive market, while creating something fun and exciting. It's so important today to get smart kids involved in motor sports and motorsport, but also to inspire them to stay engaged throughout their careers. Good luck, Clemson.

Learn more about cuicar.com.

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