In an effort to increase the blog’s focus on ecomodding and some of the great content that comes out of our users, I’ve decided to begin a series of posts on an ongoing project coming out of my own garage. The idea of swapping a Honda Insight hybrid drivetrain into my CRX began at this year’s Green Drive Expo, where despite my good mileage I realized I just couldn’t compete with the first generation Insight.

With that in mind I had two options: buy an Insight or ecomod the CRX. Buying an Insight would’ve been easier, but more expensive, less fun, and frankly my CRX is still in great shape. So, I decided to shop around for a totaled I could strip down for parts to recycle into my CRX.

Having found one, the swap became just a matter of doing it, which is where I currently am, and that’s where this update comes into play. The swap is half-finished, with all the old having been stripped out with the new ready to go in.

However, removing everything is clearly the easy part, with the second half of the project being the troublesome attempts to put things back together and make them play nice with each other. At this point there isn’t much to say, but in the upcoming posts I will take you through how I tackle several problems in making this whole thing come together.

Look out for upcoming posts on:

• Custom engine mounts
• Integrating the obd2 wiring system into the obd0 harness
• Adding the IMA hybrid system
• Tweaking the IRX for superb gas mileage

To stay up to date on the nitty-gritty, follow along with my project thread on the forums.

The Fit and Yaris have been dueling hatchbacks for years now, but it looks like they might soon become dueling hybrids. Rumors of both popular cars becoming hybrids have come and gone over the last few years, but it looks like it will stick this time for both of them. Especially now that sedans like the Civic and Corolla are much less popular at home in Japan than their hatchback counterparts.

Yaris rumors report that the vehicle could cost less than $16,000 in hybrid form and get up to 94 mpg in Japan’s urban driving cycle. As impressive as that sounds, it would probably only mean ~50mpg in the EPA test cycle. Nevertheless, you can anticipate the sales of vehicle carrying the Prius’s epic clout and a low price tag.

The Fit hybrid has been talked about for a lot longer, but it looks like that vehicle might come true as early as 2010. Less is known about the theoretical fuel economy of a Fit hybrid, but one would expect similar numbers to a Yaris hybrid unless Honda continues with it’s mild-hybrid IMA system into a new generation of hybrid vehicles.

Here’s hoping the rumor mill is more productive this time around!

Got Pruis solar roof envy? Evidently quite a lot of people do these days. But that doesn’t mean that you, too, cannot have your very own solar roof. However, the ecomodders taking the initiative to add solar to their cars are not doing it for comfort in the summer, but for fuel economy.

How does a solar roof increase fuel economy?

Well, for the average ecomodder, removing gasoline-hungry alternator is a big dream. However, the usual method of doing this is to add a deep discharge battery and plug it in at home, a big hassle that still leaves your car with a somewhat limited range.

Solar alleviates this problem by allowing you to trickle charge your battery for extended alternator-less trips and less need to plug in to recharge.

So, how are they doing it?

The DIY solar roof solution is simpler than you might think. Just build your own custom solar array…on your roof! If that sounds too complicated, check out ecomodder member gascort’s step by step process, and you’ll see that with a little elbow grease and a lot of courage, you too can have a solar roof.

Definitely one of the cooler ways to turn your vehicle into a gasoline-sun hybrid!

httpvhd://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MAocwToZWVQ

Ever wondered what the difference between the average driver struggling to beat the EPA in their Prius and the ecodrivers getting 80 mpg is? One of the keys is a technique called “Pulse & Glide.”

The specifics of pulse & glide on the Prius are covered in the above video, but to summarize, the technique has two parts:

• The pulse: This is a period of gentle to moderate acceleration. Even though you are using a fair amount of gas to gain speed, you’re not flooring it.
• The glide: During the glide you coast down from your top speed to your lower limit with the gasoline engine off, hoping to maximize the distance of your coast.

In the above video, the technique is practiced on rather empty roads from a speed of 20 mph to 37 mph, which nets about 80 mpg over the course in the Prius.

If you’re interested in more fuel saving tips, definitely check out EcoModder’s hypermiling tips list.

For the last couple days, GM has been trying to drum up a little press surrounding the number 230 for a surprise announcement. As you can see above, the “0″ in 230 is a plug, which makes sense considering the announcement was about the fuel economy capabilities of the upcoming Chevy Volt.

Nothing has changed about the Volt in recent history, but the big number comes from changes in the EPA’s plug-in electric vehicle rating system. The new system, which isn’t official yet, credits the Volt for what would be almost entirely electric-only use during normal city driving:

Under the new methodology being developed, EPA weights plug-in electric vehicles as traveling more city miles than highway miles on only electricity. The EPA methodology uses kilowatt hours per 100 miles traveled to define the electrical efficiency of plug-ins. Applying EPA’s methodology, GM expects the Volt to consume as little as 25 kilowatt hours per 100 miles in city driving. At the U.S. average cost of electricity (approximately 11 cents per kWh), a typical Volt driver would pay about $2.75 for electricity to travel 100 miles, or less than 3 cents per mile.

In a nutshell, semantics. The number relies on consumers consistently plugging their vehicle and getting a full charge each time. Also, this says nothing of the highway mileage for the vehicle, though it’s said the Volt will be weighted more for city driving than highway because of its plug-in capability. While this may generate a more impressive number, it doesn’t give much confidence in the vehicle for use in extended driving.

So, until the actual combined number comes from the EPA, we won’t really know what the Volt’s fuel economy is like, and even then, it will likely be very hard for any of us to make an accurate comparison with another vehicle.

Read the full press release after the break.

PRESS RELEASE:

Chevrolet Volt Expects 230 mpg in City Driving

* First mass-produced vehicle to claim more than 100 mpg composite fuel economy
* Tentative EPA methodology results show 25 kilowatt hours/100 miles electrical efficiency in city cycle
* Plugging in daily is key to high-mileage performance

WARREN, Mich. – The Chevrolet Volt extended-range electric vehicle is expected to achieve city fuel economy of at least 230 miles per gallon, based on development testing using a draft EPA federal fuel economy methodology for labeling for plug-in electric vehicles.

The Volt, which is scheduled to start production in late 2010 as a 2011 model, is expected to travel up to 40 miles on electricity from a single battery charge and be able to extend its overall range to more than 300 miles with its flex fuel-powered engine-generator.

“From the data we’ve seen, many Chevy Volt drivers may be able to be in pure electric mode on a daily basis without having to use any gas,” said GM Chief Executive Officer Fritz Henderson. “EPA labels are a yardstick for customers to compare the fuel efficiency of vehicles. So, a vehicle like the Volt that achieves a composite triple-digit fuel economy is a game-changer.”

According to U.S. Department of Transportation data, nearly eight of 10 Americans commute fewer than 40 miles a day http://tinyurl.com/U-S-DOTStudy .

“The key to high-mileage performance is for a Volt driver to plug into the electric grid at least once each day,” Henderson said.

Volt drivers’ actual gas-free mileage will vary depending on how far they travel and other factors, such as how much cargo or how many passengers they carry and how much the air conditioner or other accessories are used. Based on the results of unofficial development testing of pre-production prototypes, the Volt has achieved 40 miles of electric-only, petroleum-free driving in both EPA city and highway test cycles.

Under the new methodology being developed, EPA weights plug-in electric vehicles as traveling more city miles than highway miles on only electricity. The EPA methodology uses kilowatt hours per 100 miles traveled to define the electrical efficiency of plug-ins. Applying EPA’s methodology, GM expects the Volt to consume as little as 25 kilowatt hours per 100 miles in city driving. At the U.S. average cost of electricity (approximately 11 cents per kWh), a typical Volt driver would pay about $2.75 for electricity to travel 100 miles, or less than 3 cents per mile.

The Chevrolet Volt uses grid electricity as its primary source of energy to propel the car. There are two modes of operation: Electric and Extended-Range. In electric mode, the Volt will not use gasoline or produce tailpipe emissions when driving. During this primary mode of operation, the Volt is powered by electrical energy stored in its 16 kWh lithium-ion battery pack.

When the battery reaches a minimum state of charge, the Volt automatically switches to Extended-Range mode. In this secondary mode of operation, an engine-generator produces electricity to power the vehicle. The energy stored in the battery supplements the engine-generator when additional power is needed during heavy accelerations or on steep inclines.

“The 230 city mpg number is a great indication of the capabilities of the Volt’s electric propulsion system and its ability to displace gasoline,” said Frank Weber, global vehicle line executive for the Volt. “Actual testing with production vehicles will occur next year closer to vehicle launch. However, we are very encouraged by this development, and we also think that it is important to continue to share our findings in real time, as we have with other aspects of the Volt’s development.”

About Chevrolet
Chevrolet is one of America ‘s best-known and best-selling automotive brands, and one of the fastest growing brands in the world. With fuel solutions that go from “gas-friendly to gas-free,” Chevy has nine models that get 30 miles per gallon or more on the highway, and offers three hybrid models. More than 2.5 million Chevrolets that run on E85 biofuel have been sold. Chevy delivers expressive design, spirited performance and provides the best value in every segment in which it competes. More information on Chevrolet can be found at www.chevrolet.com. For more information on the Volt, visit http://media.gm.com/volt/.

General Motors Company, one of the world’s largest automakers, traces its roots back to 1908. With its global headquarters in Detroit, GM employs 235,000 people in every major region of the world and does business in some 140 countries. GM and its strategic partners produce cars and trucks in 34 countries, and sell and service these vehicles through the following brands: Buick, Cadillac, Chevrolet, GMC, GM Daewoo, Holden, Opel, Vauxhall and Wuling. More information on the new General Motors Company can be found at www.gm.com.

When Honda first unleashed the Insight on Japan we knew that the Insight was going to be selling really well. Now we have confirmation: the Honda Insight is Japan’s best-selling car. As the first hybrid to ever take that honor, this is groundbreaking stuff for Honda and the Japanese auto industry.

The Honda Insight was #1 in the month of April, selling a total of 10,481 units. In March, when the car started to sell in the country it finished in the #21 spot. Now we just need to see if Insight sales stay strong and can compete with the 3rd generation Toyota Prius.

For reference, Honda was hoping to sell about 5,000 units a month in Japan and 200,000 a year worldwide. At this pace, Honda would more than double its Japanese sales goal by selling over 120,000 units in their domestic market alone.

Source: Treehugger

At a panel discussion during the 2009 New York International Auto Show, the inevitable question came up: should we focus on one green technology or continue our scattered approach to things? Henrik Fisker, the charismatic man at the helm of Fisker Automotive, had an answer that surprised me: we should explore every avenue, except mild hybrids. According to him they were a short term solution at best, and much of the investment in them is wasted money.

Since then I have been thinking about the pros and cons of investment in mild hybrid technology. While hybrids like the Toyota Prius have certainly enjoyed their fair share of commercial success, there are good arguments on both sides of the issue.

3 Reasons Mild Hybrid Investment is Wasted

1. Mild hybrids may reduce our fuel consumption, but they are not a substitute for petroleum based fuels. Using less gas may be great, but is it worth money that could go to developing non-petroleum transport technologies?
2. Fuel efficient technologies already exist. Small cars and diesels have had the potential to get great fuel economy for decades; it would require less money and less waiting to just cut the fat.
3. Hybrid technology is still a bandage for inefficient vehicles. While the Prius may be popular, more money is being spent on making SUV, trucks, and luxury cars into hybrids than vehicles with any decent fuel economy potential. Cadalac Escalade hybrid, anyone?

3 Reasons to Keep Investing in Mild Hybrids

1. They save fuel. Like it or not, internal combustion engines are going to be in the United States and the world for decades. We might as well develop the technology to save fuel over that long term.
2. Mild hybrid technology is profitable and affordable. Compared to other technologies like battery electric and hydrogen fuel cell, it’s actually possible to purchase and afford mild hybrids.
3. The technology builds consumer acceptance of environmental automobiles. Unlike many skeptics predicted when the Insight first came to the United States, people aren’t getting shocked to death by their cars or having the electric motors blow up and fail on a daily basis.

So, is Fisker right? Is money invested in mild hybrid technology a waste? It’s clear that he has an agenda to sell his own plug-in electric vehicles, but I think he may be on to something. The economical Geo Metro is still competitive with the Prius in terms of fuel economy, but such conventional technology has all but given way to modern hybrids. Perhaps a return to the basics and renewed focus on conservation would do more than all the world’s advance hybrid drivetrains put together.

What do you think?

For the last few years, Honda has steadfastly looked to fuel cell technology as the answer to long-term transportation needs. However, the company has changed its tone just a bit. Just a few days ago we wrote about how Honda had realized that hybrids would play a much larger and more last role in the automotive market.

In a recent interview, company President Takeo Fukui stated that Honda was looking toward plug-in hybrid technology in the near term. While he stated the company would not be commercializing a model right away, it seems clear that Honda now wants to compete with the Chevy Volt and a possible Toyota Prius PHEV.

Why the sudden change in position? Recently, President Obama has been talking about his plans to invest a lot of money in a greener automotive industry. As of writing, Obama has mentioned plug-in hybrids multiple times without saying much of anything about hydrogen fuel cell technology. If Honda doesn’t hop on the bandwagon, they may be losing lots of federal dollars towards developing new technologies.

Small cars get the best gas mileage. So do hybrids. So wouldn’t a small hybrid get really good gas mileage? Something like, say, a Fiat 500 hybrid? Fiat certainly thinks it’s a good idea.

Up until now price has been the major opposition to small hybrids. Small car buyers tend to be cheap car buyers, so it has always been assumed that the “hybrid tax” would be too much for many people to buy a small hybrid car.

However, recent years have seen a resurgence of small cars with all kinds of buyers. Small cars are now a way to reduce environmental impact and not just wallet impact. This, coupled with decreasing hybrid system and battery prices, has made the small car hybrid economically viable.

When Fiat is done with their design, it will likely be coupled to their new 900cc turbocharged engine. This combination would have good torque and plenty of horsepower while delivering stellar mileage in the city.

And here’s the kicker: they plan to share the technology with Chrysler. So, even though we won’t be getting a Fiat 500 anytime soon, I’m certainly looking forward to seeing something using this technology on Chrysler’s showroom floor.

Source: Treehugger

Once seen as a stopgap between conventional internal combustion engines and full battery electric vehicles, hybrid technology wasn’t given much of a lifespan. There was an assumption that the hybrid gasoline-electric hybrids would stick around for a decade or so while battery and fuel cell technology picked up to a point where they could completely take over.

These days, however, it seems like the battery takeover time is much further down the road and that hybrids (and plug-in hybrids) will be here for much longer than anyone had anticipated. Part of the reason is that hybrids have achieved a level of consumer acceptance that still doesn’t exist for battery electric vehicles. While hybrids are road-proven, most people still think of electric cars as fantasies or crushed hunks of metal at a General Motors scrapyard.

Nevertheless, it’s interesting to see that Honda, a company that is notable for producing the world’s first production hydrogen fuel cell vehicle, will be extending the outlook of hybrids:

But hybrids have stayed in limelight longer than we expected. Today, an increasing number of people think that hybrids will remain a player 2-3 times longer, until fuel cell vehicles and electric vehicles begin [gaining share]. Hybrid technology is also applied to fuel cell vehicles, range-extender vehicles, plug-in hybrid vehicles. Thus, instead of being a bridge technology, hybrids are expected to remain in the mainstream for quite some time.

You would assume the company would be promoting a quick shift away from conventional ICE and hybrid technology to a fuel cell platform, but it seems as though the serious doubts about the viability of that and battery technologies will even further postpone their adoption.

Source: GCC

Be sure to check out our 2010 Toyota Prius hybrid photo gallery at the bottom of the post.

Even though Toyota would like us to focus on the not quite stellar 40/43 mpg rating of the new Honda Insight hybrid, most of the press has focused on the hybrid’s low price. In fact, the price was so low that Toyota decided they had to do something to keep the Prius competitive.

In Japan, Toyota dropped the price of the new Prius so far as to almost match that of the base Honda Insight, but we didn’t know what would happen in the U.S. until today. To help the Prius compete with the $19,800 Insight, Toyota announced that they would be selling the car in 5 different trim levels, with the lowest coming in at just $1,200 more than the Insight.

The specs are still unknown about the new, low-priced Prius, but for details on the rest of the trim levels, check out Toyota’s press release:

Prius I To be released at a later date $21,000

Prius II $22,000
► 1.8-liter Atkinson cycle engine
► P195/65 R15 all-season tires with alloy wheels & covers
► Smart Key (driver’s door) and Push Button start
► EV, Eco, and Power modes
► Multi-Informational Display with energy monitor and fuel consumption history
► AM/FM/MP3 CD player with six speakers and satellite radio capability and auxiliary audio jack
► Cruise control
► STAR Safety System and active front headrest
► Seven airbags including driver knee airbag
► Four-wheel disc brakes
► Tilt/telescopic steering wheel with audio and HVAC Controls with Touch Tracer Display
► Six-way adjustable driver seat
► Auto up/down on all windows
► Color-keyed foldable power heated side mirrors
Prius III In addition to Prius II features: $23,000
► JBL AM/FM/MP3 six-disc CD changer with eight speakers
► Integrated satellite radio capability
► Hands-free phone capability via Bluetooth® wireless technology

Prius IV In addition to Prius III features: $25,800
► Three-door Smart Key system
► Leather-trimmed interior
► Heated front seats with driver lumbar support
► Driver and front passenger water repellant windows
► Plasmacluster™ ionizer
► Auto dimming mirror with HomeLink®

Prius V In addition to Prius IV features: $27,270
► 17-inch alloy wheels and P215/45 R17 tires
► LED headlamps with auto leveling and washers
► Integrated foglamps

[imagebrowser=6]

For more photos of the Fisker Karma, check out our gallery at the bottom of this post.

Before I saw the Fisker Karma in person at the 2009 New York International Auto Show, I didn’t think much of the car. To me, it was just another high-priced, luxury eco-mobile competing with Tesla Motors for the top spot as most expensive gasoline alternatives.

However, I’ve come to realize that Fisker is a lot more than another car company. Unlike Tesla Motors, the company is headed by an actual car guy, Henrik Fisker. As a former designer from Aston Martin, you can see Fisker’s style at work in the design of his cars. Unlike his counterpart at Tesla, Elon Musk, his efforts are put into designing beautiful cars and not calling critical reporters bad names.

Yes, Fisker is also designing expensive cars. Yes, they are series hybrids and not fully electric. Yes, they are relatively impractical vehicles for the average person to own. And yes, they’re not even on sale yet.

However, Fisker has a longer lead time with their cars, because unlike the Tesla Roadster, the Fisker Karma is all Fisker Automotive’s design from the ground up. Their efforts are also complicated by the series hybrid design, which takes more effort to design than a straight up electric vehicle.

So, why am I so excited about this car? Well, it will be shipping to consumers in about a year for around $80,000, and should provide about 100 mpg when it passes the 50 mile electric-only range and the gasoline engine kicks in to charge the batteries.

For all intents and purposes, you can think of the Karma as the luxury version of the GM Volt that will be on the market sooner and in much lower quantity. Unlike Tesla Motors, Fisker Automotive will attempt to be a brand of green supercars, not the everyman’s luxury sedan.

If a green car lover could ever be excited about a supercar, they will likely be excited about something from Fisker Automotive. Anyway, to end a meandering post on a somewhat coherent note, I think that Fisker is now the company to watch. Free of pesky lawsuits, I expect the company to begin producing the kind of unattainable auto that everyone loves to love.

[imagebrowser=4]

For more pictures, check out our high resolution Ford Fusion Hybrid gallery at the bottom of the post. Click on the images for bigger versions.

At the New York International Auto Show I got the opportunity to test drive both the 2011 Ford Fiesta and the 2010 Ford Fusion Hybrid and check out their gas mileage. The Ford Fiesta test drive went well, and I was very impressed with the small car’s feel and performance. Next up was the Ford Fusion Hybrid, the Fiesta’s larger, more expensive sibling.

When the car was release at the LA Auto Show, I was a bit skeptical of it. How could such a large, expensive vehicle put up any kind of decent fuel economy numbers to make it worth driving? Even after the car scored a 41 mpg EPA estimate I remained skeptical. Was it really capable of that mileage, or was it optimized for the EPA testing cycle?

Ford Fusion Hybrid – Impressive Gas Mileage for a Large Car

As the Ford tech I drove with was keen to point out, this car is designed for ecodriving. It takes advantage of the two-mode hybrid system in order to exploit the most common techniques that are used to get better gas mileage. Also important are several aerodynamic tweaks on the hybrid version that allow the car to passively get better fuel economy without changing the overall look of the car.

[singlepic id=41 w=540 float=none]

However, the most striking feature of the Ford Fusion Hybrid is Ford’s new Smartgauge, an all-digital dash display that almost gives you too much information. Besides the expected standard gauges (including fuel economy), you get an ecodriving skill rating and a very helpful EV mode gauge. The EV mode gauge, which is perhaps my favorite thing about the entire car, tells you how much work the electric engine is doing. Most importantly, it indicates the small window in which the car will run completely on the electric motor, allowing precise control of the vehicles two-mode hybrid system.

The Smartgauge is what made this car such a pleasure to drive. Even though I didn’t pay attention to the ecodriving rating, trying to keep the car in EV mode while monitoring the battery charge became quite a fun game. During the test drive, I wasn’t paying attention to my fuel economy but rather testing out the many functions of the car. Even so, it was hard to ignore the temptation to ecodrive, especially considering how easy the car makes it.

Not only is the car roomy and comfortable, but it offers as good of a drive as you can expect from such a large sedan. Not considering fuel economy at all, this impressed me as a quality car from Ford. When you toss in the Smartgauge and two-mode hybrid system, the Ford Fusion Hybrid is an absolute pleasure for any ecodriver looking for something larger that can still throw down some good fuel economy. On my full-throttle test drive around midtown I still managed 40.4 mpg, better than I would’ve expected with any car.

Perhaps this car will be a real winner for Ford.

[imagebrowser=3]

We’ve all heard about the new Honda Insight’s killer low price, and about Toyota’s update of its old standby, the new 2010 Prius. In Japan, the Insight has been flying out of the showrooms even more quickly than was expected. Their main rival, Toyota, has stepped up to the plate with not only a reduced price on the new model, but by keeping the second generation Prius around at an even lower price.

The base price for the new Prius will come in at about $20,750, with the old model selling for $19,130. However, if you feel like spending the money, you can still go ahead and spend the money to buy a tricked out Prius for up to $33,100 (the most expensive Insight is more than $10,000 less).

Will the pricing wars spill over to the US, where both cars will have to compete with the Ford Fusion, and eventually the GM Volt? Only time will tell, but I’m sure we’re all hoping it does.

Source: ABG

Yesterday, ABG had an interesting post about surprisingly poor fuel economy numbers with the Ford Fusion hybrid that got me thinking about the relationship between the EPA estimates and the cold. It’s no big secret that fuel economy suffers when it gets cold outside, but it’s interesting to note that not all cars are affected by the cold equally, and that differing weather patterns across the country make it difficult for some people to gauge fuel economy at the dealership.

For example, ABG points to a recent test that shows the Ford Fusion getting 27.2 mpg in real world driving, even though it’s EPA rating is 41 city/36 highway. That’s a huge discrepancy, which is due mainly to the effects of the cold. While fuel economy certainly deviates a lot depending on individual driving style, the EPA estimates are supposed to provide a real world account of driving style, which is why they were recently revised downwards. However, do they accurately depict weather conditions?

Think for a minute about the average driver in New Hampshire. When they buy a car, they look at the same window stickers as someone from New Jersey, even though it would be a lucky winter’s day in NH to see the highs reaching about 0C. Having driven in this type of weather myself, I know the 30% or greater hit that my fuel economy can take.

Think again about the average hybrid car. These cars are tuned in so specifically for mileage, and often suffer the most from inefficient drivings and weather conditions. Perhaps it’s not surprising how poorly the Ford Fusion hybrid fares in the cold because it is common knowledge how batteries react to the cold and how finicky hybrid mileage can be.

How can the EPA respond to this?

That’s the real question. Is there anything the EPA can do to try to provide more accurate results based not only on driving style, but on temperature, precipitation, elevation, or any other number of factors that significantly impact fuel economy? Perhaps regional testing with a zone-based approach could deal with some of these problems. Or should drivers just be more intelligent and more responsible for knowing these issues for themselves? What do you think?

About six months ago, we ran a story on the persistently strong resale values of most hybrid vehicles. However, like many things in this economic climate, even that has come to change. It stands to reason that as less people buy new cars there will be less of a premium put on used cars with prices nearly that of new cars, but gas prices have also been a factor.

According to the KBB prices have all but plummeted:

Used hybrid values are down 23.5% since their peak last summer, says Juan Flores, director of vehicle valuation for Kelley Blue Book. Just since the beginning of 2009, they’ve fallen 4.5%, while used vehicle prices overall are going up as more buyers opt for used over new.

With wallets tightening and gas prices nearly half of what they were last summer, this is to be expected. However, no one expects gas prices to stay low, so it may be in your best interest to take advantage of the buyer’s market to scoop up some deals before prices go back up when demand increases.

Recently, we talked about how the hybrid Honda Insight was beating sales expectations in Japan. As far as orders are concerned, that hasn’t changed, with Honda taking in over 15,000 orders in a month when they wanted only to sell 5,000 cars.

Unfortunately for Honda, they could only deliver on 4,900 of these vehicles, meaning they missed their goal slightly, but are still on track to exceed sales expectations with ramped-up production.

However, for the first time ever, Honda sold more units of its Insight in Japan than Toyota did of its Prius. The Prius sold just a few more than 4,500 units in February in Japan, a sales decline of 20% from last year.

While it’s true that many people will be waiting for the third generation Prius to hit the market, it’s obvious that the Insight has gotten off to a strong start.

Source: Treehugger

We’ve talked about the new Honda Insight Hybrid and Honda’s high hopes that this car will become a Prius-killer before, and the dream is starting to seem a little more like reality.

According to ABG, Honda wanted to move about 5,000 units weekly to meet the sales goals for the Insight. The car hasn’t been on sale long, but according to Honda they’re already ahead of the game, with more than 5,000 advance orders pouring in for the second generation of the famous hybrid electric vehicle.

Truth be told, this does sound like a bit too much PR. The Insight isn’t on sale worldwide yet, and those preorders could’ve come in over any number of months. It’s likely that the Insight will have a lot of initial excitement, but then, like most other cars, fall victim to the slowdown in the global car market.

However, only time will tell. Now that the final version of both the new generation of Prius and Insight are out, which one do you think will take the cake?

Tires are to driving like shoes are to walking. If it’s snowy outside, you want a shoe with better grip, if you’re running, you want something meant to go fast, and if you’re standing on your feet all day, you want something comfortable.

But what kind of tire is that analagous to? Well, I think the best comparison would be a low rolling resistance tire, designed to get you the most mileage for your energy (read: gas). A few years ago there were some of these on the market that came out around the time the Insight and Prius came to the US. These tires helped boost the fuel economy of these cars with the consumers none the wiser, but in the end this ignorance led to low sales a general scarcity of LRR options.

As energy issues have hit the mainstream LRRs have been brought up again and again as low-hanging fruit. These tires can easily be slapped onto all new cars or purchased when replacements are needed, and they provide a tangible, substantial benefit in fuel economy.

So, with that said, GM has decided to go with Goodyear’s latest Fuel Max Tires, which are just coming out now for passenger vehicles but have shown a 4% improvement for truckers (the original application). This isn’t special, as I said, hybrids like the Volt have been using LRRs for years, but it’s nice to see another tire manufacturer bringing LRRs to market.

What did you expect? A bland update on the most exciting car from the biggest car company in the world? I think not! Toyota unleashed the first Prius on Japan in 1996 and in the last 13 years it has continued to get even cooler.

The 2010 model was officially released recently at the Detroit Auto Show, and it was one of the show stoppers among the very many fuel efficient and electric cars unveiled or hinted at during the show. The Prius’s new claim to fame includes and improvement in both power and fuel economy (22% and 9% respectively). It would’ve been nice to see 22% better fuel economy with minimal improvements to power, but that’s not really how it works anyway.

Toyota achieved that increase by upping the displacement on the gasoline motor from 1.5 liters to 1.8 liters, but that certainly isn’t the extent of the neat features on the upcoming Prius. On top of roof will be a solar panel that keeps a ventilator running so the cabin doesn’t get hot and stuffy in the summer, taxing the A/C system. Under the hood will be power everything, and I’m not talking about door locks and windows.

Toyota has made a big step with this car in terms of efficient design by using electric A/C, power steering, and even an electric water pump. This all cuts down on parasitic drag on the engine and incrementally bumps up fuel economy. This in combination with a fantastic Cd of 0.25 allowed the Prius to bump up its EPA rating to 50 mpg all around, making it the most efficient thing on the market.

It will be interesting to see how the new Prius compares to the up and coming Honda Insight, which has lower MPG numbers but that Honda hopes will reach a new market of buyers that aren’t ready to spend more than $20,000 to save money on fuel. I’m not sure which I prefer just yet, but I’m hoping to give both a test drive and see for myself.

Source: Wired