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Main > Pre-2003 News Archives | |
If you have Honda Insight-related news items to submit to InsightCentral.net, contact us.
Please note: for all news posted after 2002, please visit our updated News Archives.
| InsightCenral.net
Announcement |
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| IRS Confirms Tax Deduction
for 2000 to 2003 Insights Sat Sept 21, 2002 - In June we posted a story about the Insight's qualifying for a $2,000 tax deduction. Steven Turner wrote us with the address of the IRS's press release, which applies to the Insight (2000 to 2003) and the Civic Hybrid (2003). Interested owners can find the official IRS statement here in PDF format. - Posted by: Benjamin  |
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| InsightCentral.net
Technical Difficulties |
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| Honda Announces 2003
Insight Tues Aug 20, 2002 - Honda has just announced the Insight will be made available for the 2003 model year. Following widespread rumors (which we tried to dispel) that the company might retire the vehicle after introducing the 2003 Civic Hybrid, Honda has once again reaffirmed its commitment to continued environmental leadership in automanufacturing. The new Insight offers no significant changes over previous models and remains the world's "greenest" mass-produced vehicle. We will keep our readers posted as more information becomes available on possible new options and accessories. - Posted by: Benjamin |
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| Honda FCX, First Fuel
Cell Vehicle to Receive EPA Certification |
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| Insight Receives "Best
Integration/Use of New Technology" Award |
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| Honda Conducts Testing
of Fuel Cell-Powered FCX-V4 in California Sat June 22, 2002 - Introduced in the U.S. at the 2002 Greater Los Angeles Auto Show, the FCX-V4 is Honda's latest version of its fuel cell-powered vehicle. American Honda Corp. announced earlier this year that it would begin tests of the FCX-V4 in Southern California, in close proximity to the company's headquarters. The newest version of the car offers improved range, better safety and monitoring features, as well as the ability to reach higher speeds than its predecessors. Honda reportedly hopes to begin limited fleet sales of the car in late 2003, despite Executive Chief Engineer Tomoyuki Sugiyama's admission that the infrastructure necessary to ensure the success of fuel cell vehicles will take years to build. - Posted by: Benjamin |
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| Civic Hybrid Information
Site Fully Operational Mon June 17, 2002 - At the beginning of the month, Honda finished the project it began with the launch of the newest addition to its Civic lineup: the Civic Hybrid micro-site is now completed. New information was added and a series of useful tools and features will help interested buyers and owners discover the new model's long list of benefits. - Posted by: Benjamin |
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| IRS Confirms $2,000
Deduction for Honda Insight |
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| FCVs
Years Away from Consumer Market Wed Apr 24, 2002 Tokyo - The Honda FCX-V4 fuel cell vehicle (FCV) slated to go on sale in Japan by the end of 2003 won't be practical for consumers, reports Dow Jones Business News. Citing the lack of a wide-spread fueling infrastructure for compressed hydrogen, Executive Chief Engineer Tomoyuki Sugiyama said he expects single digit sales in the first years. The latest in Honda's FCV development program, the FCX-V4 offers a substantial increase in range (195 miles, 315 kilometers) per fueling, and also features a capacitor to store energy when the car is stopped. Sugiyama noted issues of distribution and service, as current dealers are not trained or equipped to support the vehicles. The Honda expert estimated it would be twenty years or more before the consumer market is ready and mass production can commence. Design refinement will also be needed to bring down costs prior to beginning mass production. Source (by permission): Weststart-CALSTART. - Posted by: Benjamin  |
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| Civic
Hybrid Poised to Increase Consumer Awareness Wed Apr 24, 2002 - EV World reports that the Civic Hybrid achieves a "new level of refinement" in its second implementation of its Integrated Motor Assist system. We believe this will lead to a broader understanding of the benefits associated with hybrid technology. Visit the EV World web site to read the interview with Robert Bienenfeld, Alternative Fuel Vehicles Marketing Manager at American Honda. - Posted by: Benjamin
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Acura
DN-X Makes Appearance at New York Auto Show |
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| Civic
Hybrid Off to a Successful Start Tues Apr 23, 2002 - The reviews are in, and the 2003 Civic Hybrid is already one of the most critically-acclaimed cars of the year. Making appearances in almost every major newspaper and most national news magazines, everyone seems to agree that there is finally a viable future for hybrid cars. However, the Civic Hybrid's "mainstream" appeal and conventional styling are often used by reviewers to suggest that the Insight and Prius are things of the past. Business Week (4/22/02) calls the Insight "quirky" and the Prius' hybrid system is said to feel "primitive," while the Los Angeles Times (4/17/02) refers to the Prius as "gangly" and seems to find some problem with the Insight's "futuristic" look. While we can only welcome the arrival of the Civic Hybrid, the importance of the Prius and the Insight needs to be re-stated. Honda's newest addition occupies an important position, appealing to those who might otherwise not consider a hybrid. By bringing hybrid technology to the Civic lineup, it offers excellent mileage and environmental benefits -- without compromises. However, the Insight remains an engineering marvel, designed from the ground up to maximize performance and mileage. The Prius was also conceived in order to make full use of its hybrid system, and both cars maintain significant advantages, which should not be overlooked. In the words of actor Leonardo di Caprio, "until you own a hybrid, you don't realize how wasteful standard vehicles are" (Time Magazine, 04/29/02) and no vehicle is more skilled in this respect than the Insight. - Posted by: Benjamin  |
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| Court
Stands Firm on Clean Air Standards Tues Apr 23, 2002 Washington, D.C. - A United States appeals court has rejected an effort to overturn federal clean-air standards by business groups, reports Reuters. An industrial coalition had filed a suit to overturn the Environmental Protection Agency's (EPA) 1997 pollution standards on ozone concentrations and soot particles, and the agency decided to stay enforcement measures pending resolution of the suit. Under the decision, the EPA retains authority to regulate pollution levels for smog and particulate matter nationwide, although other legal issues remain unresolved. Recent studies have linked air pollution and particulate matter with serious health issues, including cancer and heart attack. According to EPA estimates, implementing the rules would prevent 15,000 premature deaths, 350,000 cases of asthma and 1 million cases of decreased lung function in children. Three states - Ohio, Michigan and West Virginia - joined the industry group in their fight to roll back the clean-air standards. Northeastern states had previously sued the EPA over attempts to weaken the pollution rules. Source (by permission): CALSTART News Notes. - Posted by: Benjamin |
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| Honda
Civic Hybrid Web Site Launched Mon Apr 22, 2002 - Honda sent out email invitations to a preview of its micro-site late last month. The web site is now available to the public at honda.com and showcases what Honda terms "innovative technology [that] comes wrapped inside a traditional, 5-passenger Civic body." Although certain features are not yet available, many useful tools and detailed specs have been posted, including the mileage figures: 48/47 mpg for the CVT and 46/51 mpg for the manual transmission (city/highway). - Posted by: Benjamin |
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| American
Honda Takes Flexcar Stake Mon Apr 22, 2002 - American Honda is investing in Mobility Inc., known under the brand-name Flexcar, which has established car sharing operations in several major metropolitan areas. A joint release said the car maker was taking an 18.4 percent equity position in the Seattle-based car sharing provider, which provides subscribing members access to vehicles on a reservation basis for a fee which includes car rental, gas, designated parking, insurance and maintenance. Honda will provide technology and support for Flexcar's vehicle tracking and management, as well as a portion of the vehicle fleet. Honda has explored car sharing beginning in 1994 with the introduction of its Intelligent Community Vehicle System (ICVS) concept. ICVS was designed to make shared vehicles available as a supplement to public transportation. Flexcar is also a partner with WestStart-CALSTART of Pasadena and the Bikestation Coalition of Long Beach in the Clean Mobility Center, a vehicle sharing project involving zero-emission electric cars, bikes and motorscooters, the first of which will be inaugurated April 19, 2002 at the Bikestation facility in Long Beach. Source (by permission): CALSTART News Notes. - Posted by: Benjamin |
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| UPDATE:
Owners Angered by Oregon's Double-Taxation Sun Apr 21, 2002 - The Oregon Department of Motor Vehicles' decision to double the registration fees of hybrid and electric vehicles continues to cause a stir among Insight owners. We still receive a steady stream of emails, and the concensus is clear: despite its other hybrid-friendly laws (including a significant tax credit), this targeting of EVs and HEVs by the Oregon DMV is not only contradictory but also unfair. You can find a copy of the letter sent to hybrid owners here. - Posted by: Benjamin |
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| Hybrid Technology
Attracts Consumer Interest Mon Mar 11, 2002 - JD Power says American car-buyers are interested in hybrid-electric vehicles, reports Just-Auto.com. Of new-vehicle purchasers questioned, 30 percent would ''definitely'' consider a hybrid, while another 30 percent would give them strong consideration. Motivating factors include fuel prices, dependency on foreign oil, tax incentives and environmental concern. Women seemed to be more interested, but also more reticent, to buy a hybrid due to lack of information about the technology; nearly one-half of the respondents thought hybrids needed to be plugged in to recharge. Men were interested, but possibly put off by compromised performance. Clearly, if hybrids were available in most vehicle segments, offered comparable performance, significant savings in fuel costs and were priced competitively with conventional vehicles or earned significant tax credits, consumers would be interested. Source (by permission): Weststart-CALSTART. - Posted by: Benjamin  |
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| Ford
Will Mass-Produce Hybrid SUV |
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| Insight Absent at White House "Hybrid Car" Event Sun Mar 10, 2002 - CNN's Major Garrett reports that Honda and Toyota were conspicuously absent from a recent event headed by President Bush, and intended to showcase vehicles that run on alternative-style engines. While we are not sure the event was meant to be anything more than a display of U.S. automakers' efforts, we did find it odd that no mention of the Prius or the Insight was made at any point during the conference. Also mentionned in the article are the Chevrolet, Ford and Christler hybrid prototypes. Visit CNN AllPolitics for more information. Thank you to Nancy Mayer and Dave Salman for emailing us the article. - Posted by: Benjamin |
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| Edmunds review of the Hybrid Civic Sat Mar 9, 2002 - For those who haven't already seen it, Edmunds have posted a positive review of the upcoming Hybrid Honda Civic on their web site. - Posted by: Brian |
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Insight Tops Environmental Defence Canada's List of Cleanest Cars
Sat Mar 9, 2002 - Environmental Defence Canada has named the Insight as the cleanest car sold in Canada. The second car on the list was also a hybrid - the Toyota Prius. They've also published a list of the dirtiest cars. Here are the complete
lists.  |
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Updated U.S. Insight Sales Stats Sat Mar 9, 2002 - I've updated the Insight Sales Statistics page with the latest information from American Honda. Sales for the month of February were 221 vehicles, bringing the total number of Insights sold in the U.S. to 8,531. - Posted by: Brian |
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Hybrid
Owners Subject to Double-Taxation |
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| Toyota
to Launch First Commercial FCVs |
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2002 Insight
Tops Environmental Charts |
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| $4,000 Tax Credit
for Hybrid EVs |
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Welcome Ron, Pez & Benjamin to the InsightCentral.net team! Sat Mar 2, 2002 - It's my pleasure to welcome my three new InsightCentral.net co-editors, Ron Rancourt, Perry Huber (Pez) and Benjamin Young! We'll be working together to bring you an even hotter InsightCentral.net that is always up to date with the latest Insight-related news! - Posted by: Brian |
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| Sunroof
on an Insight Wed Jan 2, 2002 - Kendall & Mark Youngblood have had an aftermarket sunroof installed in their Insight. I don't know what the structural implications are with the Insight's aluminum body of doing this, so I can't recommend this. However, I can say that it looks great, and Kendall & Mark really like it. |
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| U.S.
Recall of CVT-equipped Insights Wed Jan 2, 2002 - U.S. Honda has recalled at least some CVT-based Insights, to replace PCM computer in CVT equipped Insights to provide updated software, which allows computer to detect engine misfire during first 20 seconds after a cold start. This change is required for the Insight to comply with U.S. emissions regulations. David Beatson sent me this copy of the letter he received from Honda, which provides more details.
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| Back
in business! Tue Jan 1, 2002 - If you've been wondering about the lack of news updates here at InsightCentral.net recently, you'll be happy to know that things are running at full speed again. Between other things in my life taking my attention, and the theft of the notebook computer that I used to maintain the site, the news has been piling up. Below are the biggest highlights from the last month: |
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| Hybrid
Honda Civic News The new hybrid Honda Civic is now for sale in Japan (it will be available in North America and Europe this spring). I've added a lot more information to the Hybrid Civic information pages, including more pictures. Takeshi emailed me to report that the hybrid Civic is selling in Japan for 2,090,000 yen, about 90,000 Yen cheaper than the Prius. It is believed to get better gas mileage than the Prius. Honda has indicated that they plan to manufacture 500 cars per month. The Japan hybrid Civic web site is now live at: http://www.honda.co.jp/CIVICHYBRID In the U.S., Honda issued a press release
which confirmed that the hybrid Civic will be available in both CVT
and 5-speed manual versions. |
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| 2002
U.S. Insight Pricing Announced U.S. Honda has announced a base model increase of $200 for the 2002 model year. The base model now carries an MSRP of $19,080. The addition of air
conditioning now brings the price to $20,280, and further adding the
CVT automatic transmission brings the price to $21,080. |
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| 2002
Canada Insight Information Rumor has it that the CVT Insight will be offered in Canada this year. Aquamarine Blue has been replaced by Monte Carlo Blue in Canada for this year. |
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| 2002
Insight offered in Sebring Silver You may recall that I reported a few months ago that Sebring Silver replaces Silverstone metallic for the 2002 model year as a paint color option. Although it is not yet clear whether this is in fact a different paint, or just a new name, Honda's U.S. web site now shows a picture of Sebring Silver that appears lighter and more silvery. If anyone has purchased a 2002 Insight with this paint color, please email me the paint color code from the sticker on the driver's side doorjamb, so that we can answer this question. I've updated the Insight Model
Year Chart to show all information we now have about the 2002 Insight.
The chart has been combined with the paint color table to show which
of the 7 (8?) different Insight paint colors have been offered when
and where. |
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| Car and
Driver Insight Article Greg Sproston emailed to say that the January 2002 issue of Car & Driver has a very positive article about the Insight, written by Patrick Bedard. In the article he mentions parking the Insight outside his window so that he can look at it througout the day. |
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| Dutch
Car Magazine Test of Insight Harry Molenaar wrote to report that there are 2 people from an Dutch car magazine who have done the cape to cape drive with an insight. that's from spain too norway. the had an everige feul consumption of 21.7 kilometers over an distance of 12.344 kilometers. the higher fuel consumption came because the drove 180 km threw germany bevore that the did 1 to 25. you can see it on the on the internet site capetocape.nl only it is in dutch. can give you an copy of the total report from an dutch car magazine. it is not as good feul consumption that i have done when i did the guiness book of record,in 2000 round england . there whe did 1 to 36.3 everige feul consumption. but the 2 people of the magazine did get an guiness book of record mention for an 2 seater beating an mazda miata.
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| Insight Cold Weather Software Update Honda has issued a recall to replace the BCM and MCM to update the software to avoid excessive battery charging/drain at temperatures around -10C (14F). Owners of affected Insights have been / will be notified by mail. I've added details, including the full text of the recall letter, to the Recall / Service Bulletin Chart in the Insight Knowledge Base. |
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| Future Truck Project Building Hybrid
SUV with Insight IMA System Matt Pettersen of the University of Maryland 2002 FutureTruck Project emailed me to tell about an interesting use of the Insight's IMA system: The project goals are to design and build a 2002 Ford Explorer with improved gas mileage, reduced emissions (both regulated and non-regulated GHG), without altering stock vehicle function. For obvious reasons, they have decided to build a parallel hybrid. They had substantial gains with our previous competition vehicle, a 2000 Chevrolet Suburban which used an E85 fueled 3.8L V6 and a 90kW electric motor in post-transmission, parallel design. (70% improvement in fuel economy, SULEV emissions) Their current design for the Explorer will use an ethanol (E85) fueled 3.0L V6 and the IMA system from a totalled Honda Insight.
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