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Old 08-10-2014, 06:06 AM   #23 (permalink)
RedDevil
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Location: Nieuwegein, the Netherlands
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Red Devil - '11 Honda Insight Elegance
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Hersbird View Post
The CdA and efficiency have nothing to do with hybrid part 500 extra pounds does. Basically they should make a non-hybrid Prius for highway commuters. I think that is what the new 1.0l fiesta is going for. I bet in the hands of a hypermiler it goes 55mpg highway or more pure stock, then add some aeromods. They start about $17,000.
Fact check. The hybrid system in my Insight consists of the electric motor/generator connected to the crankshaft, a 27 kilogram hybrid battery, some cabling and some electronics. That is all. I doubt it weighs more than 100 pouns all combined.

Then, it does not need an alternator nor flywheel (the electric motor does that), it can do with smaller brakes, a smaller 12V battery, a smaller engine, a smaller fuel tank, you name it.
All in all it could be lighter, not heavier, than a non hybrid with like performance.

Weight is not an issue on true hybrids.

At my office I regularly park next to a 1.0L Fiesta Ecoboost.
I wonder how good my FE would be if mine were as small as that. But I'm glad it is not that small.
There is a hybrid of comparable size and weight: the first gen Insight, it too has a 3 cylinder 1 liter engine.
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Last edited by RedDevil; 08-10-2014 at 03:42 PM..
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