Honda Insight Takes Automotive Efficiency To A New Level

"First Vehicle to Break 70-mpg Barrier Also Features Ultra Low Emissions"

TORRANCE, Calif., Oct. 1 — As the first vehicle ever to break the 70-mile per gallon barrier in EPA highway tests, the Honda Insight shows the way to improved automotive efficiency for the 21st century.

The Insight is the first gasoline-electric hybrid vehicle available in the U.S. It was designed from the ground up to achieve world-class fuel economy and ultra low emissions, using a combination of cutting-edge technologies, including an innovative hybrid powertrain, advanced aerodynamic design and lightweight aluminum body. The Insight earns the best EPA mileage ratings in history, rated at 61 mpg city/70 mpg highway.

At the heart of the Insight is Honda's revolutionary Integrated Motor Assist (IMA™) system, which combines the world's lightest 1.0-liter, 3-cylinder gasoline automobile engine with an ultra-thin electric motor.

The engine can be smaller and more fuel-efficient because the electric motor supplies low-end torque and power assist when needed. At the same time, the electric motor and battery pack can be smaller and lighter than in a pure electric vehicle, because the motor is not the sole source of propulsion. The battery pack never needs recharging by an outside power source, because the motor also acts as a generator during deceleration and braking to recharge the IMA batteries.

The Insight offers an extended driving range of 600-700 miles on a single tank of fuel.

The Insight's ultra-efficient VTEC-E engine uses advanced lean-burn technology, low-friction design and lightweight materials such as aluminum, magnesium and plastic in combination with a Honda-developed NOx-adsorptive catalyst to achieve a new level of efficiency and low emissions in gasoline engine technology. The Insight meets California's stringent Ultra Low Emission Vehicle (ULEV) standard.

Under high load conditions, such as acceleration and climbing grades, the IMA's electric motor provides up to an additional 36 foot-pounds of torque. The 10-kilowatt DC-brushless motor, which is just 2.3 inches wide, sits between the engine and transmission and is mounted directly to the engine's crankshaft. Power is supplied by a 144-volt nickel metal-hydride battery pack and an advanced electronic Power Control Unit (PCU), using technologies adopted from the Honda EV PLUS electric vehicle.

The second leg of Insight technology — advanced aerodynamics — is evidenced by the car's unique profile, featuring a rounded nose, low overall height, tapered body, front air dam, teardrop shape, rear wheel skirts and plastic undercar cover to create a smooth, flat underbody. The Insight achieves a coefficient of drag (Cd) of 0.25 - one of the best in the world for a production automobile.

The Insight features a new type of lightweight aluminum body that offers a high level of rigidity and advanced safety performance. This unique "hybrid" aluminum chassis uses a combination of extruded, stamped and die cast aluminum components to minimize weight while optimizing rigidity and safety. Body weight is 40 percent less than a comparable steel body.

Most of the vehicle's body panels are aluminum, which are lighter yet more rigid than traditional steel panels. Front fenders and rear fender skirts are made of recyclable plastic. Other weight-saving features include aluminum-alloy wheels, a magnesium oil pan and plastic valve cover and intake manifold.

The Insight is the first vehicle in the U.S. to use Honda's new G-Force Control technology, which manages impact forces by absorbing and deflecting them away from the passenger cabin, while maintaining a rigid cabin structure to protect the occupants.

The Insight includes a full complement of standard comfort and convenience features, including anti-lock brakes, electric power steering, dual air bags, AM/FM stereo cassette, power windows and mirrors, power door locks with keyless entry, anti-theft Immobilizer system and available automatic air conditioning.

An electronic instrument display delivers information on fuel economy performance, IMA system operation, and gasoline engine status. Drivers can monitor instantaneous fuel economy, trip fuel economy (with two resettable trip odometers/fuel economy meters), segment fuel economy and lifetime fuel economy.

The Honda Insight is the culmination of Honda research into lighter, more efficient and cleaner burning vehicle technologies. Its high fuel economy helps conserve natural resources and produces fewer greenhouse gases. As an ultra low emission vehicle, it produces 84% fewer hydrocarbons and 50% less NOx than a typical car. The Insight is the latest example of Honda's commitment to bringing new environmental technologies to market whenever feasible.