Honda Insight

This car was the top selling model in Japan for April of 2009....considering that Honda started selling the Insight in Japan in February that is quite extraordinary. This if the first time that a gasoline electric hybrid or any type of hybrid has taken the top selling honor in Japan. The Insight went on sale in the US in April.

The EPA fuel-economy ratings are 40 mpg city and 43 highway—versus the Prius which gets 48 city and 45 highway, respectively. The Honda Insight operates differently than the Toyota Prius, this explains the fuel economy differences. When you turn on the key in the Insight the motor turns on, most of the time when the vehicle is operating the motor will be running. When you turn on the Prius the electric motor will operate and propel the vehicle on electric power below 35 mph. The Toyota Prius is a complex system, which costs more to build but results in higher fuel economy.

The Insight is equipped with a 88 hp, 1.3 liter four cylinder engine along with a 13-hp electric motor. Honda has Integrated Motor Assist (IMA)....IMA is an engineering feature where the electric motor is placed between the engine and the transmission. The electric motor assists the motor as needed.

A CVT transmission is the only transmission offered. The Insight has an interesting ECON button, that cuts down air-conditioning cycles and moderates acceleration to improve the fuel economy.

Honda estimates that it should sell approximately 90,000 Insights per year in the U.S.

Pricing for the Insight starts at $19,800 USD, and £15,490 in the UK plus options. Pricing for a Prius starts at $22,000 USD plus options.

SUMMARY:

My take on the Insight is that Honda manufactured the Insight to compete on price. It is the cheapest hybrid available.....but as with most hybrids you sacrifice performance and handling. The most fun to drive hybrid that I have driven is the Ford Fusion Hybrid.

1445 Miles On A Tank Of Gas

My son Brian suggested that I do a post on the Ford Fusion Hybrid! In a ground breaking event for Ford, Ford has developed their own hybrid system. The system was developed internally within Ford, and does not utilize any of the Toyota Synergy drive components.

The first car to have the system installed is the 2010 Ford Fusion Hybrid. The Ford Fusion Hybrid is the most fuel efficient mid-sized sedan in America. Please see my February post labeled Can Detroit Build Hybrids?

In an effort to promote the new Ford Fusion Hybrid, Ford initiated a Fusion Hybrid 1000 mile challenge. Ford attempted to drive more than 1000 miles on a singe tank of gas. The Ford hybrid team drove for more than 43 continuous hours – on a single tank of gas. The Ford Fusion Hybrid was an average vehicle with no modifications for the race. A team of Ford hybrid engineers, a fuel efficiency expert and a NASCAR star drove the car for more than 43 continuous hours. See the Ford press release!

The results, of the the 2010 Ford Fusion Hybrid 1000 Mile Challenge, are that the Ford Fusion Hybrid actually averaged 81.5 mpg. and finished the challenge after going 1445.7 miles on one tank of gas.

The mileage-maximizing techniques that the Ford team used are:

• Slowing down and maintaining even throttle pressure
• Gradually accelerating and smoothly braking
• Maintaining a safe distance between vehicles and anticipating traffic conditions
• Coasting up to red lights and stop signs to avoid fuel waste and brake wear
• Minimize use of heater and air conditioning to reduce the load on the engine
• Close windows at high speeds to reduce aerodynamic drag
• Applying the “Pulse and Glide” technique while maintaining the flow of traffic
• Minimize excessive engine workload by using the vehicle’s kinetic forward motion to climb hills, and use downhill momentum to build speed; and
• Avoiding bumps and potholes that can reduce momentum
  Click here for more Eco-Driving tips
  

The Ford Fusion Hybrid starts at $27,270, and is eligible for a $3400 federal tax rebate. The EPA rating for the 2010 Fusion hybrid is 41 mpg city, 36 mpg highway. This model gets the better fuel economy of competing Toyota Camry Hybrid mid-size sedan.

My take on this is that this shows how far that hybrids have been developed. Congratulations to Ford for developing a such an effective green vehicle. There will be many more developments over the next several years.