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Hybrids combine the technical advantages of the electric car with the economy of conventional cars. The result is an affordable, low emission, fuel-efficient motor with performance standards equal to (maybe even better) than many conventional cars.

The Honda Insight, a two-seater coupe, is the first hybrid production car to be launched in the UK. Under its bonnet there are two engines: one electric and one petrol.

But the Honda costs £16,820, which is pretty steep compared with a standard petrol car. However, it's difficult to judge whether this is good value, because it is unique and only around 400 a year will reach the UK. This autumn, the Toyota Prius, a four-door saloon using similar technology, will join it.


Environment

The introduction of the Insight, with its use of hybrid and other advanced technologies to achieve exceptionally low fuel consumption, highlights Honda's diverse and green approach to research.
Honda has committed itself to the environment, aiming to reduce polluting substances in exhaust gases, to lower fuel consumption and advance research on alternative energy sources.


Integrated Motor Assist (IMA) System

To make the Insight the world's most fuel-efficient, petrol-powered car - yet with performance comparable to that of a 1.5 litre car - Honda engineers designed a petrol-electric drive system called Integrated Motor Assist (IMA). It incorporates lean-burn combustion, low-emission engines, variable valve timing, high-efficiency electric motors, regenerative braking, nickel-metal hydride battery technology and microprocessor control.


Benefits of a Hybrid System

So-called hybrid systems combine two different power sources, such as an internal combustion engine and an electric motor, in such a way that their operation is complementary. Each is designed to operate within its most efficient range, to the overall benefit of performance and fuel efficiency.

In conventional petrol/electric hybrid systems, the vehicle is powered by the electric motor alone at low speeds, where the petrol engine's combustion efficiency is typically low. At higher speeds, or when recharging is required, engine torque is directed to the driven wheels or used to drive a generator. Such systems require complex control mechanisms, large batteries, as well as a separate motor and generator, increasing weight and bulk considerably.

Honda chose instead a system in which the engine is the primary power source: the motor is linked to the engine, assisting during acceleration for a reduction in consumption and acting as a generator during deceleration. Such a system is much simpler and requires a much smaller power unit and batteries. Its operation is also 'transparent' in that the driver does not need to alter their driving.

The motor assistance during acceleration provides the same low-end torque as a conventional 1.5 litre petrol engine. When cruising, there is no motor assistance or VTEC (valve technology), an extended lean burn range provides both power and fuel efficiency. Powers output without the motor-assist function is 68 PS (50kW) and with assist 76 PS (56kW). Torque is boosted from a peak of 90 Nm at 4,800 rpm to 113 Nm at 1,500 rpm.

A very wide, flat torque curve is achieved by combining the benefits of VTEC at high engine speeds and the substantial engine boost provided by the electric motor at low and mid-range engine speeds. This approach allows for superior fuel efficiency and excellent driving. Compared to a similar internal-combustion powered drive train, like that in the Honda Civic, the Insight's IMA system boasts an impressive 24% improvement in city and highway driving. Together with the adoption of a lean-burn catalytic converter, exhaust emissions are clean and CO2 reduced.


The Cost of Motoring

If you travel 12,000 miles a year, an average petrol car costs around £1,400 in fuel and a diesel around £1,000. Based on Honda's fuel consumption figures, the Insight could cost as little as £500 a year in petrol, but £600 to £800 would be a more realistic estimate.

More information available in Eco Motoring