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I'm curious what powertrain Honda will put in it.
-The Accord has a 2.0L Atkinson (lean burn?) rated as the most efficient production gasoline engine ever built, which usually acts as a generator for a 181HP/135kW electric motor. In a narrow speed window (highway speeds) it can directly drive the wheels through a clutched one-speed gear, but otherwise it's probably the most "honest" serial hybrid on the market. It uses a small lithium battery to feed the electric motor the extra power the engine can't make, and may go "EV" for a few miles at a time. It weighs 3500# and is rated 49 city / 47 highway.
-The Clarity uses a smaller 1.5L Atkinson cycle engine acting as a generator to the same motor. It has a much larger battery pack capable of just over 40 miles before the engine need start.
I'd be surprised if Honda used the IMA system again, with the electric motor bolted to the engine's crankshaft. It's relatively inexpensive to implement as it can be a much smaller motor, but it's not very efficient when compared with their newer series design. However, I'm not sure what will differentiate the Insight from the Clarity? Maybe it will use the 1.5L mill but have no plug-in option? Or, perhaps it will have a smaller 1.0L or 1.2L, mated to a smaller motor, with both hybrid and PEHV options?
EDIT: Bear in mind, this is a mule and will not reflect the body design of the new Insight.
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