[mpg_numbers_guy]

Originally Posted by 19bonestock88

I’d go with the $2k one...

Originally Posted by Ecky

The 129k Insight sounds great.

I would totally look into it if I were back home from college and had my current car de-ecomodded and sold.

It really looks promising if I could go for it. The blue color is gorgeous, the IMA light just came on so grid charging for a while is still a possibility, and the instrument panel buttons can be replaced with 3d printed ones from IC, right? Only issue really would be the musty smell that even a professional detailer couldn't remove. And of course the checklist.

EDIT: Per the seller's listing, he/she seems acquainted with Insight Central, and has had a lifetime fuel economy of 59.9 MPG.

Originally Posted by Ecky

Something like that, yeah. I recently saw a used one sold for $2-300 or so. It's mostly beside the point though, because you don't want to be grid charging the NiMH battery every night anyway, since you can't tell the state of charge on it and it will very rapidly use up its remaining life.

What if I only had it grid charge to 80% or 90% capacity and set the ECU accordingly? Rather than overcharging and damaging it - would 80% or 90% still damage the battery?

Originally Posted by Ecky

I thought the same thing... and I bet it could. My arduino which keeps the CEL off does so by feeding a dummy battery SOC.

Is the CEL due to your IMA bypass?

Originally Posted by Ecky

You can 100% do this! The motor is pretty simple, just 3 phase wires and a hall sensor. You could probably run it with a $20 ebike controller, albeit with a fraction of the motor's capacity, with whatever battery you want. How about a Nissan Leaf battery, which would run the car on electricity alone for 100+ miles? Only problem is that you have to design this system from scratch.

I've suggested this very thing over on IC, but most want to keep the stock electronics in the car because an aftermarket EV controller and battery system would 1) have poor (or zero) integration with the Insight's ECU and 2) be relatively expensive. However, you would have the advantage of being able to do anything you want with it.

Insight owners are notoriously cheap, and the idea of having to spend more than a few hundred dollars in maintenance (ever!) on the car is unacceptable. Nevermind that there are tons of german cars on the road where it's normal to spend $XXXX per year on "regular maintenance".

Naturally with such a set up regen and assist wouldn't work (right?) but even with a different battery setup couldn't I still maintain Auto Stop? Or would this be more complex than just wiring up a regular kill switch (again I'm leaning toward a hybrid-disabled Insight setup).

A Nissan Leaf battery is like $5500...

There HAS to be a way to maintain at least SOME of the hybrid capability for an indefinite period of time apart from buying new batteries. Even grid charging like y'all do doesn't last forever. And, of course, without spending $$$$.

Originally Posted by Ecky

Yes, 100%. It's a lighter (with batteries removed), more aerodynamic, more efficient car. The engine is more efficient, more powerful, and typically lasts 2x longer (or more) than a Geo engine. Insight owners are just spoiled by the awesome IMA system.

Alright, that's comforting confirmation. So if ecomodded Metros can get 60-70 MPG than an IMA-bypassed Insight should be good for 80 MPG...maybe?