Honda Insight—gas/electric hybrid
Opinion is divided about whether hybrid cars-which combine an internal combustion engine with electric traction motors-are really the best way to improve fuel economy and reduce exhaust emissions. But while the jury has been deliberating, two major Japanese car makers, Honda and Toyota, have forged ahead and put hybrid cars on the market.
HYBRID VIGOR
Hybrids are divided into two categories: series and parallel. In a series hybrid, the heat engine—usually a small piston engine, but possibly a gas turbine—acts purely as a generator of electric power for the battery pack and electric motors; it is not connected to the driven wheels. In a parallel hybrid, the heat engine and electric motors can both provide tractive force. In Toyota’s Prius, these two modes are cleverly combined; in Honda’s simpler Insight (shown here) the small gas engine and integral electric motor operate in parallel to enhance performance and fuel economy.
ENGINE SPECIFICATIONS
| Dates produced | 2010 to present |
| Cylinders | Straight-four (originally straight-three) |
| Configuration | Front-mounted, transverse |
| Engine capacities | 1,339 cc (81.7 cu in) |
| Power output | 98 bhp @ 5,800 rpm with |
| Type | Conventional four-stroke, water-cooled gas engine with reciprocating pistons; 13 hp electric motor and drive-by-wire throttle |
| Head | sohc with i-VTEC variable valve timing and lift; two valves per cylinder operated by rockers |
| Fuel System | Multipoint port fuel injection |
| Bore and Stroke | 2.87 in x 3.15 in (73 mm x 80 mm) |
| Power | 73.2 bhp/liter |
| Compression Ratio | 10.8:1 |
Electric motor
Copper coils form part of the Honda Insight’s electric motor, which performs three functions: It starts the engine, boosts torque, and provides regenerative braking to recharge the battery pack.
Economy, economy, economy
Although the latest Insight has the more powerful four-cylinder engine shown here, not the smaller three-cylinder of its predecessor, it still offers impressive fuel economy of 64.2 mpg (3.66 liters per 100 km) in the combined European test cycle, and carbon-dioxide emissions of only 101 g/km.
It is a quote. The Definitive Visual History Of The Automobile 2011
