Honda's 118 mpg-e EV-Fit (most efficient car ever on EPA tests)

[gone-ot]

...story here: Honda Fit EV rated at 118 MPGe with 82-mile range by EPA *UPDATE

[MetroMPG]

Also has the highest official range of the "affordable" EV's (ie. non-Tesla) - of course, that's partly a product of being more efficient.

EPA Range (mi.):

Fit EV - 82
Focus EV - 76
Leaf - 72
i-MIEV - 62

EPA kWh/100 mi (combined cycle):

Fit EV - 29
i-MIEV - 30
Focus EV - 32
Leaf - 34

Then again, the Fit EV is only a compliance car, and you won't actually be able to buy one - lease only!

[skyking]

Love to sell my wife on something like that.

[drmiller100]

that is cool.

[02ws6]

Seeing stuff like this kinda makes me upset that Im putting a car together thats only gonna attain half that mileage.. Im super jealous..

There again, with that kinda range and the initial cost of this thing I guess I can't complain. Ill never seat 5 in a CRX even if I installed JDM backseats but I won't have 20% invested in mine of what that thing costs..

[NeilBlanchard]

The Honda Fit EV has several "aeromods" that help extend the range by making it more efficient, than the Nissan Leaf for example. Please note that the longer range Fit EV uses a battery pack that is smaller -- it gets about 14% longer range from a battery pack that is about 16% smaller.

The Fit EV also has true free-wheel coasting in the economy mode -- and I don't think that the EPA rating uses the economy mode on any EV. (I'm fairly sure they test them all in the normal mode.) Most EV's have some degree of regenerative braking when you lift your right foot off of the accelerator pedal. But when you put the Fit EV in economy mode -- you get free wheel coasting; and only get regenerative braking when you press the *brake* pedal*.

Sounds like the EV I want to drive! I have signed up to hear when they are available here in Massachusetts: 2013 Honda Fit EV Overview - Official Site

Honda needs to build as many as they can sell! And they need to sell them everywhere; not just in a few states.

[California98Civic]

Originally Posted by NeilBlanchard

The Fit EV also has true free-wheel coasting in the economy mode

Could you explain a little more... this means free wheel as when I coast my Civic manual in neutral?

Originally Posted by NeilBlanchard

I have signed up to hear when they are available here in Massachusetts: 2013 Honda Fit EV Overview - Official Site

I have to run to work but will sign-up for updates ASAP. I am in one of the summer launch markets, I think.

[NeilBlanchard]

Yes, in the Eco mode the Fit EV does free wheel coasting just like a car in neutral, with no regenerative braking at all. Most EV's have some amount of regeneration dialed in on the accelerator pedal, for some reason. Ironically, the Leaf has more regen on the accelerator in Eco mode than it does in Normal; which is odd.

I think that the designers of most EV's need to take some ecodriving lessons. Coasting is the most efficient part of driving any car! Regenerative braking should only be used when you need to slow down.

Having any regen braking that is controlled by the accelerator pedal requires a person to learn where the "neutral" position is -- and then requires you to hold your right foot in that precise position in order to coast. By definition, this is harder to do than just lifting your right foot off the pedal. Anyone who has driven long distances trying to ecodrive has learned the benefit of being able to lift your right foot to coast; because you also get to rest your leg muscles and/or stretch out some kinks during long coasts.

This also a great help in learning to ecodrive -- the habit of 2-mode driving (accelerating until you brake) is exacerbated when there is regenerative braking on the accelerator pedal. 3-mode ecodriving (accelerate-coast-minimal braking) makes it far easier to do pulse & glide, and overall 3-mode driving will save lots of energy.

So kudos to Honda for doing the Eco mode on the Fit EV right! Now, please sell lots of them!

[MetroMPG]

Originally Posted by NeilBlanchard

it gets about 14% longer range from a battery pack that is about 16% smaller.

It may also be getting more range (partly) by using a smaller "buffer" in the pack than Nissan does with the Leaf. If I'm not mistaken, most EV makers spec a pack that is larger than actually used in a "full" charge/discharge cycle to prolong cell life. I could confirm this by doing the math, since we know pack size, range & Wh/mi for each car, so we could calc how large the "unused" buffers are.

As an example of "buffer tweaking": the 2013 Volt has slightly longer EV mode range than the 2012 Volt because GM enlarged pack capacity slightly, changed chemistry, and reduced the "buffer" size.

when you put the Fit EV in economy mode -- you get free wheel coasting; and only get regenerative braking when you press the *brake* pedal*. Sounds like the EV I want to drive!

I agree - coasting beats regen. But I'd also like a customizeable pedal, as Tesla is offering in the Model S. Sometimes, 1-pedal driving would be convenient (eg. stop & crawl).

Honda needs to build as many as they can sell! And they need to sell them everywhere; not just in a few states.

Unfortunately, they won't sell any to anyone. It appears these are lease & crush compliance cars, just like their last EV that was publicly available (the Honda EV+).



Lease return Honda EV+ in line for the shredder at a junkyard. From Who Killed the Electric Car.

[NeilBlanchard]

I think that both the Leaf and the Fit EV use up to 95% of their battery packs: 24kWh x 95% = 22.8kWh, and 20kWh x 95% = 19kWh.

I realize that Honda is holding back and only building enough for compliance, and they are only planning to lease them. I am trying to encourage them to sell as many as possible...