19bonestock88 buys his first ever hybrid!

[19bonestock88]

So I found myself in a bad spot a few weeks ago with an hour long commute and a 2007 Chevrolet Malibu Maxx that was absolutely falling apart. The remaining life of a number of the major components were converging so it appeared that I’d have to basically rebuild the whole car at once minus the engine and chassis, and I wasn’t nearly prepared to put out that kind of cash, and honestly, the car had 235K on it, it was just used up for my purposes. Thanks to some guidance (and admittedly a little prodding) from Ecky, I decided to go and look at my first hybrid, and it blew me away with how it drove compared to the Toyota hybrids I used to help build, so I signed some papers…

It’s a 2021 Honda Insight EX, bought with 78K in the odometer and for a reasonable 17.9K. So far all I’ve done is some tint work and exchanged the new 215/55 Cooper Endeavor tires for a set of 205/60 Vredestein Quatracs…

[Ecky]

They're not so terrible eh?

I'm glad it worked out for you. Getting something with a plug might have further reduced your commute costs, but I understand it was logistically impossible.

Not sure how the G3 is, but I found I was still learning how to drive the G1 even a year after I got it. Fuel economy continued to improve even sans mods for years, as the nut behind the wheel adjusted.

[Logic]

John Sullivan, aka “mudder” on the Insight Central forums is worth knowing. (about)
All sorts of Interesting stuff happens when he's involved!

Some Geniuses Are Turning Old Honda Insights Into Plug-In Hybrids With Ford Batteries

The "Going Plug-In" section.

(Lots of pics and videos in the link)

It shouldn't be too much of a project to mod to PHEV with mudder's help..??


What mods do you imagine 19bonestock88?

[Ecky]

Originally Posted by Logic

John Sullivan, aka “mudder” on the Insight Central forums is worth knowing. (about)
All sorts of Interesting stuff happens when he's involved!

Some Geniuses Are Turning Old Honda Insights Into Plug-In Hybrids With Ford Batteries

The "Going Plug-In" section.

(Lots of pics and videos in the link)

It shouldn't be too much of a project to mod to PHEV with mudder's help..??


What mods do you imagine 19bonestock88?

Best I can tell with the G3, one could swap in larger batteries and simply wire in the cell taps the same, and the car wouldn't know the difference. As long as the spec exceeded the originals, PHEV would be as easy as charging each night.

It also shares components heavily with the Clarity, though the challenge there would be getting the firmware to coexist. It might not be so bad though, as, I'm aware you can take a Fit lithium pack and drop it in a NiMH CR-Z, and it just works. I would not be shocked if the G3 were the same.

[19bonestock88]

Originally Posted by Logic

John Sullivan, aka “mudder” on the Insight Central forums is worth knowing. (about)
All sorts of Interesting stuff happens when he's involved!

Some Geniuses Are Turning Old Honda Insights Into Plug-In Hybrids With Ford Batteries

The "Going Plug-In" section.

(Lots of pics and videos in the link)

It shouldn't be too much of a project to mod to PHEV with mudder's help..??


What mods do you imagine 19bonestock88?

I've heard about mudder's efforts with the G1 Insight, but not much seems happening over on IC regarding the G3, but i created an account regardless. Most of my previous ecomoddding experience involved a lot of aero, and honestly im not sure where to start with this car, i figure Honda has picked a lot of the low hanging fruit with this car. I am still pondering my use case and deciding where to go

[Piotrsko]

Depends on the money factor..... if you have lots to expend remaining, do whatever sets your heart aflutter. Definitely low cost low hanging fruit.

Never can have too much battery, unless they are on fire or shorting out.

Solid wheel covers?, low rolling resistance tires? Air dams and flow controllers? Tow bar, just because running out of motion lotion sucks in an EV.

[19bonestock88]

Originally Posted by Piotrsko

Depends on the money factor..... if you have lots to expend remaining, do whatever sets your heart aflutter. Definitely low cost low hanging fruit.

Never can have too much battery, unless they are on fire or shorting out.

Solid wheel covers?, low rolling resistance tires? Air dams and flow controllers? Tow bar, just because running out of motion lotion sucks in an EV.

You know, I never checked the RR rating of the tires I bought, they are the same ones that came on the AeroCivic when I got it and I assumed they were LRR. I could blank the holes in my factory wheels to make them smooth, and buy lighter wheels later to attach discs to. Given that I have always enjoyed good handling, I can 100% envision some good brand lowering springs and maybe sway bars (not slowing down for corners technically saves momentum) and beyond that I don't know. Maybe I will have the opportunity to crawl under it and see where aero can be addressed.

[Ecky]

Originally Posted by 19bonestock88

You know, I never checked the RR rating of the tires I bought, they are the same ones that came on the AeroCivic when I got it and I assumed they were LRR. I could blank the holes in my factory wheels to make them smooth, and buy lighter wheels later to attach discs to. Given that I have always enjoyed good handling, I can 100% envision some good brand lowering springs and maybe sway bars (not slowing down for corners technically saves momentum) and beyond that I don't know. Maybe I will have the opportunity to crawl under it and see where aero can be addressed.

The Vredesteins that ended up on Aerocivic were there for a few reasons. In part, it was because tires selection in 165/65r14 was "limited" (being generous) and Vredestein makes tires in tons of sizes. They were a new entry into the market and anecdotally they performed very well, without the severe wet compromises the older LRR tires in that size had, and coming near to the fuel economy of the true LRR tires that sacrificed all else to the fuel economy gods. They were also very, very cheap at the time. They were 3 peak (Vermont only got like 4 months entirely without snow at low elevations, and less in the mountains, so 3 peaks were good "summer" choices). They also had a very high max sidewall rating, and a relatively gentle ride (very soft feel) making that high tire pressure less punishing.

In Europe the Vredesteins have a lukewarm at best rolling resistance rating. These ratings are all relative, however, and you'll find the same tire performs differently in different sizes/aspect ratios compared with its peers, and (I believe) happens at a fixed, relatively low pressure. You can bet anything made by Michelin will roll easier than the Vredesteins, and probably Continental and Bridgestone as well, though they're all going to be considerably more expensive tires. I would have put one of those on AC had they existed in the size.

[Logic]

Originally Posted by 19bonestock88

I've heard about mudder's efforts with the G1 Insight, but not much seems happening over on IC regarding the G3, but i created an account regardless. Most of my previous ecomoddding experience involved a lot of aero, and honestly im not sure where to start with this car, i figure Honda has picked a lot of the low hanging fruit with this car. I am still pondering my use case and deciding where to go

These look interesting.
(But could be better if the clear bit/s lined flush up with main mirror body, in a... 'reducing' way)

https://race-mirrors.com/ProfessionalExtreme.html


I've always thought the toe (minus tread) of these would make nice ...er... upside-down on the belly-pan, in front of the wheels, Aero whatchamacallits.
They should deform and spring back a treat if one gets too close to a pavement or something.

[19bonestock88]

Originally Posted by Logic

These look interesting.
(But could be better if the clear bit/s lined flush up with main mirror body, in a... 'reducing' way)

https://race-mirrors.com/ProfessionalExtreme.html


I've always thought the toe (minus tread) of these would make nice ...er... upside-down on the belly-pan, in front of the wheels, Aero whatchamacallits.
They should deform and spring back a treat if one gets too close to a pavement or something.

We are a long ways from experimental aero mods, I figure to first optimize what can easily be and go from there.