Honda Hybrid Vs. Toyota Hybrid

[jamesqf]

Originally Posted by ECOHondaOdyssey

A friend just needed to replace the battery on his 09 civic hybrid. This problem is not uncommon.

"Had to"? Or just had it replaced under warranty by the dealer, because that was easier for them than fixing the problem?

[Xist]

Originally Posted by rmay635703

My $1800 Insight beats the Non-hybrid cobalt any day of the week.

ECO driving skills can't beat a highly efficient design.

Isn't it so efficient that it wins hypermiling contests with the hybridization disabled?

What does that say about highly efficient nonhybrids?

[Cobb]

Hybrid or not, yall need to take a hypermile class.

[GreenHornet]

I would go with the Honda Insight manual.

I did a quick search of my area and found one for under 5K here is the link =

2002 HONDA INSIGHT 5 SPEED MANUAL, VERY ECONOMICAL

I believe the Honda insight got the best fuel economy for a hybrid in the US. They achieved it by downsizing the vehicle hence reducing weight and improving aerodynamics.

[Cobb]

Yeah, first gen honda insight 5 speed 2000-2001 FTMFW!!!!!

[jamesqf]

Originally Posted by Cobb

Yeah, first gen honda insight 5 speed 2000-2001 FTMFW!!!!!

Got that one beat. And yes, the Gen1 Insight can win hypermiling contests even with the assist disabled, and it can do even better with it enabled.

[Cobb]

Thats impossible!!!!! I read it here that you can no way get better fuel economy in a hybrid without using the hybrid system.

Wished you had an sg2.Its likely you exceeded 150 and the gauge just maxed out at that point. I Think JimE has his up to 235 mpg on his odb2 meter.

[jamesqf]

Originally Posted by Cobb

Thats impossible!!!!!

Nope. Though I have to admit I started at about 8000 ft elevation, and finished near sea level :-)

Wished you had an sg2.Its likely you exceeded 150 and the gauge just maxed out at that point.

You're right about the gauge maxing out at 150 mpg, but the picture was taken a few miles before it would have started dropping below that. I would typically get 80-90 mpg for the 250 mile trip from my place (about 4500 ft), over the pass, down the hill & across the valley, then I5->I205->I580->I680->101 into San Jose.

I do have an SGII, but it's pretty much worthless for mpg on the Insight. The car's gauge is as close to dead on as I could measure, the SG all over the place.

[Xist]

Originally Posted by jamesqf

I do have an SGII, but it's pretty much worthless for mpg on the Insight. The car's gauge is as close to dead on as I could measure, the SG all over the place.

Is that because it cannot handle lean burn?

[jamesqf]

Originally Posted by Xist

Is that because it cannot handle lean burn?

I'm not sure just why it doesn't work well. My guess, from what other people have said, is that unlike the OEM gauge, it is not measuring actual fuel flow, but using some algorithms to estimate it. That may work ok for "normal" cars, but I think the Insight just goes too low, as it were. For instance, the SG's fuel flow only reads in tenths of a GPH, and I could never get it below 0.2 even when in open loop and DFCO. There are also a bunch of parameters that have to be set (like displacement & number of cylinders), which the SG keeps forgetting...