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@propane:
The self-discharge rate of a 70% charged Insight battery is around 0.2 Watts. I'll bet your 12V lead-acid battery self-discharges much faster than that despite its much smaller capacity.
The Insight's 60lb battery increases rolling resistance to the tune of ~57W (versus the car's 7KW road load at 60mph). It has to capture only one regenerative braking opportunity per hour to pull its own weight.
Lots of people talk about wanting to strip the hybridness out of an Insight or a Prius, and maybe I used to think about it too. But now that I've driven one, I'm completely sold on hybrids. I'll never buy another car without a traction motor.
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