Quote:
Originally Posted by Isaac Zachary
With hybrids it's more than just the battery and motor-generator(s). There's a reason they feel lethargic with a drained or dead HV battery. The engine is tuned for fuel mileage (e.g. atkinson cycle) which you can't do in non-hybrids without making them feel lethargic or some other disadvantage.
In other words, taking the battery out of the equation may make only a 10% change, but it isn't the only part of the equation.
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This is correct that the hybrid system itself is only a piece - although my new Miata (MX-5) does in fact run the Atkinson cycle without a hybrid system. It does this with complex, sensitive and highly responsive engine control.
The Insight would never have been sold with a 1L engine. Or, if it was, it wouldn't have been sold with the gearing it had. There are highways in the US where it needs to be in 2nd to ascend, without assist. 18 seconds to 60 simply would not be marketable. Change the gearing and you lose another 20%.
With a modern Prius, some of that efficiency comes from the engine literally not having a belt drive - every component runs on a high voltage motor, and operates to its own needs, rather than having to clutch on and off of the engine's RPM.
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Off topic, but adopting a higher base voltage (24 or 48) would likely measurably improve non-hybrid vehicle efficiency. I understand why it isn't done, but at some point that bandaid may need to be ripped off.