[Ecky]

Originally Posted by mpg_numbers_guy

Wouldn't there be a way to test the voltage and have the grid charger turn off at a certain point?

Not really, no. The only way to know for sure what's in it is to charge it to full and see when it stops charging, or to count how much goes in and out.

Originally Posted by mpg_numbers_guy

Is the CEL disabled, or have you tricked the computer into thinking you're still running the IMA? Makes sense how you can have learn burn now if you don't have the CEL.

The ECU up front still thinks the IMA is in place. Just a couple of very simple signals, not even digital. It doesn't try to use it because it thinks the battery is empty.

Originally Posted by mpg_numbers_guy

Sounds like a good idea...why the 20 MPH barrier?

I wonder if there would be a way to make the car auto restart once put back into gear even without the IMA, kind of like modern fuel injected vehicles do. Like have a switch that enabled an arduino to turn the car off whenever it was in neutral and back on whenever taken out of gear.

~20mph (or below) is the default speed at which auto-stop happens. It's more like 22mph, or 19mph sometimes. I bet you could use an arduino to program in full auto-restart even without the IMA.

Originally Posted by mpg_numbers_guy

That's really good. Do you find that CC reduces your fuel economy significantly? I know using CC in my Civic reduced fuel economy by 10%-20% depending on terrain.

Not really, because the car isn't powerful enough to climb more than the gentlest of inclines without shifting gears, at least without the IMA. There are fairly limited circumstances where I can use it, or at least turn it on and not have to worry about it. Pedal to the floor in 5th gear still delivers 50mpg, you have to downshift to get any worse fuel economy.


I really like the G1, but honestly if I had $8,000 for a car today that I didn't own, I'm unsure if I would buy an Insight and do a lot of in-depth modifications, since there are several wonderful plug-in hybrid options. A car like a Chevy Volt can drive on electricity alone for ~50 miles for lower cost-per-mile than a hypermiled Insight, and delivers ~40-45mph on gasoline afterward.

Don't get me wrong, I personally think a G1 Insight with a Volt or Accord Hybrid or Ioniq drivetrain would be damn near the ultimate car, but there are several great off-the-shelf options out there. None of them are aluminum, or as small or light, but technology has improved in the last 18 years.