I would like to start today by looking at the new Insight’s Integrated Motor Assist (IMA) Battery Pack. The 2010 Insight, (Insight II or Insight Second Gen, or HI2) is equipped with the latest version of the Honda IMA Hybrid system. The vehicle is not designed to compete with another company’s flagship hybrid; Honda’s Civic Hybrid is tasked with that. This is the First modern hybrid available for under $20,000 MSRP.
IMA system Voltage (aka IMA Battery Voltage) is just over 100 volts this year (100.8v) versus the 158 volts found in the 2006-2009 Civic Hybrid. The Insight pack puts out 1770 watts and holds 5.75 Amp Hours of energy versus the 1380 watts of output at 5.5 Ah capacity found in the current Civic Hybrid. It does this with just seven battery modules in the pack compared with the Civic Hybrid’s 11 modules; one module is composed of 12 cells. Pack weight shrinks from 68 pounds to 45 pounds.
The upgrades to the IMA battery reduce weight and cost, while increasing performance, and Honda did it to their entry-level hybrid, this is quite an achievement. If the real world performance of the Civic Hybrid is any indication, the new Insight should be quite a sleeper when it comes to real world performance vs. the stats.
All of the changes Honda made to IMA put hundreds of thousands of people who could not afford a new hybrid into a driver’s seat. Environmentology (a word Honda made up a few years ago for their environmental campaigns) indeed, once the price of gasoline starts climbing on us many more people will no longer have to grit their teeth and curse the oil companies, they will have something they can afford to upgrade to. My favorite part is that not only did this vehicle arrive in time for Earth Day; it is here well before the spring and summer driving seasons and associated fuel price hikes.
Don’t be shy, post a comment.
Kacey Green
for the Midlands Hybrid Club
"Promoting the spread of clean personal transportation technologies."
My fuel economy, tracked at every fill-up since purchase, your mileage will vary.
The Midlands Hybrid Club, the home of the hybrid club and hypermiling of the Carolinas, based in Columbia, SC.
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Bert Murray
said:
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... Since 1 horsepower is about 750 watts, that means the battery produces less than 3 hp ? Thanks, Bert |
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