Wednesday January 21, 2009

2010 Honda Insight specifications released : 41 mpg, 1.3L, 98hp, i-VTEC, CVT

greencarcongress.com, vtec.net (specifications), world.honda.com :

The all-new 2010 Honda Insight hybrid car made its world debut on 12 Jan 2009 at the 2009 North American International Auto Show. Utilizing the fifth generation of Honda's Integrated Motor Assist (IMA) hybrid technology and new, more cost-efficient production methods, the 2010 Honda Insight offers an estimated EPA city/highway/combined fuel-economy rating of 40/43/41 mpg. The 2010 Insight will be launched at Honda dealers throughout the United States in the beginning of April 2009 and will be priced below the Civic Hybrid.

The Insight combines a 1.3-liter SOHC aluminum-alloy i-VTEC engine and CVT, with a new generation of Honda's IMA hybrid system. The Insight's IMA system includes a 10 kW (13 hp) electric motor that delivers 68 lb-ft (92 Nm) of torque and a compact Intelligent Power Unit (IPU) consisting of a 5.75 Ah, 100.8V NiMH battery pack, Power Control Unit (PCU), motor Electric Control Unit (ECU), and cooling system. Combined output and overall torque of the engine and motor is 98 hp (73 kW) @ 5,800 rpm, with max torque of 123 lb-ft (167 Nm) @ 1,000-1,500 rpm. The i-VTEC engine carries a rated power output of 88 hp (66 kW). During deceleration, cylinder deactivation via Variable Cylinder Management (VCM) virtually eliminates the pumping action of the cylinders, decreasing resistance to allow the motor/generator to more efficiently generate electricity with which to charge the battery.

The battery pack consists of 7 NiMH modules, each comprising 84 "D-sized" 1.2V cells. Compared to the fourth-generation battery technology in the 2006 Civic Hybrid, power output per module is 30% higher, enabling a reduction in modules from 11 to 7. The overall IPU size is reduced by 19% and overall weight by 28%. Packaging of the ultra-compact IMA battery and IPU in the vehicle's rear floor allows the enhanced utility of a 60/40 split and fold-down rear seat back.

- So now we know more about Honda's answer to the 2010 Toyota Prius. As members of the community including myself have long expected, the 2010 Honda Insight hybrid uses a slightly de-tuned version of the IMA system, churning out 98hp with a 13hp electric motor compared to the current Civic Hybrid's 110hp with a 20hp electric motor. That, together with the ongoing battery improvements, would have helped quite a bit with the cost reduction aspect, making the 2010 Insight a more affordable ride.

For a trade-off of 9 mpg, and a lower-powered 98hp vs the Prius's 134hp, the customer would get a car that is significantly cheaper, to the tune of thousands of dollars. And from where I sit here, in Singapore's context, with government taxes worked in, that difference could work out to tens of thousands of dollars. Add to this equation road taxes that are around 40% cheaper (about $977 per year for the 1.8L engine in the 2010 Toyota Prius compared to $590 for the 1.3L engine in the 2010 Honda Insight), that works out to a significant difference in terms of cost of ownership and it tells you how Honda and Toyota are addressing rather different segments of the market with their respective dedicated hybrid car models.

One good point for those who need this from time to time is the Jazz/Fit-esque hatchback styling, and the return of fold-down rear seats. Perfect for that occasional trip to Ikea or some such when you need to transport bulky items, especially long-ish ones. This is enabled by the packaging of the compact hybrid battery in the rear floor instead of the current Civic-esque position behind the rear seats. I don't really mind that my 2008 Honda Civic Hybrid doesn't do that, I mean to me it's not that much of a "mission-critical issue", but it's a good-to-have feature.

Frankly speaking, I am curious to see how the different segments of the hybrid car market play out (ie. the higher-end "look at me!" Prius vs the more down-to-earth "just drive me around" Insight), especially in this economic environment. Throw volatile oil prices into the mix and things should get pretty interesting.

See also :

1. 2009 Honda Global Small Hybrid details released : bigger than Jazz/Fit, smaller than Civic
2. 2010 Honda Civic Hybrid preliminary specifications released
3. Peakoiler buys 2008 Honda Civic Hybrid FD3
4. 2010 Honda Insight hybrid concept to debut at 2008 Paris International Auto Show

(2009-01-21 13:39:20 SGT) [Energy] Permalink

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