Honda has revealed further details of its first petrol-electric SUV, the CR-V Hybrid, ahead of its European debut at the Frankfurt motor show next week.

The Japanese car maker has confirmed it will debut a radical new hybrid set-up with a 2.0-litre naturally-aspirated four cylinder, with a more fuel-efficient Atkinson Cycle configuration, with two electric motors - one used as a generator while the is used alongside the petrol engine for propulsion.

Unusually, the car does not feature a conventional transmission but instead uses a single fixed-ratio gear for a direct connection between the components, a set-up Honda claims offers a smoother driving character.

The Intelligent Multi-Mode Drive (i-MMD) system operates autonomously, with a series of computers determining the most efficient way to combine the power sources through three separate modes, EV Drive, Hybrid Drive and Engine Drive.

In the EV setting, the car will draw power solely from the battery pack for zero emission driving. Honda has yet to reveal how far the CR-V can travel in this mode though. In Hybrid mode, the petrol engine supplies energy to the generator, which in turn powers the electric motor. Any excess energy is diverted back to the generator for storage in the battery pack. In Engine mode, the motor directly drives the front wheels with an on-demand power boost from the electric motor for quick acceleration or efficient long-distance cruising.

Honda Australia has stated that is evaluating the CR-V Hybrid for local sales, but has yet to submit a viable business case that will cement its position alongside the recently-launched petrol-only models.

-For more information visit our Honda showroom