If there is to be a ‘best kept secret award’ in the green car sector then the Honda Insight certainly won’t be a frontrunner – it’s been grabbing headlines for months now. However, it is only now that it has been unveiled to the Press at the North American International Auto Show.
The vehicle uses the fifth generation of Honda’s much celebrated Integrated Motor Assist (IMA) technology and has a fuel economy rating at above 40mpg. The Japanese manufacturer also expects the Insight to carry a CARB AT-PZEV emission rating – so how has Honda managed to produce such an impressive green car?
At the heart of the five-door saloon’s design is the FCX Clarity fuel cell car, which has been used as a model for the vehicle. The Insight reflects the Clarity’s low centre of gravity and combines a 1.3 litre SOHC aluminium alloy i-VTEC engine with a new generation of the IMA system that includes a 10kW electric motor capable of delivering 92Nm of torque and a compact Intelligent Power Unit with a 100.8V NiMH battery pack.
The DC Brushless Motor is one of the car’s keys to success as it assists acceleration and steady cruising at low-to-mid vehicle speeds. It also acts as a generator during braking and gentle deceleration to capture kinetic energy and recharge the battery.
Indeed the battery pack itself is impressive with seven NiMH modules each producing 30 per cent more power than the 2006 Civic Hybrid.
Honda hopes that by undercutting the price tag of the Prius but matching its rival in fuel economy and emissions, the Honda Insight may well stamp its authority as the leader in the green car race. On this viewing, it’s tough to argue.
