The new Civic hybrid is a series hybrid. It puts down 200hp and does 0-60 in 6 seconds, all while getting 50mpg. It combines the torque of an electric motor with an Atkinson cycle engine, which is known for better efficiency but worse torque, as a generator. And it clocks in around 3200lb, a bit more than a classic Civic, but far lower than any BEV.
The slight compromise is at constant highway cruising speeds, it may let the engine take over, since the efficiency calculus likely is more favorable in those conditions. It uses a clutch to do this, and only has a single gear ratio, rather than the messy setup of typical parallel hybrids.
