Running out of gas? - Page 2

Resist · 04-17-2003, 10:36 PM

That's because you wouldn't have any power for the ignition with a dead car battery. But if you didn't have any electric motor power, then your car battery would use the conventional starter to turn the engine.

Macwarrior · 04-18-2003, 04:57 PM

Hmm...exactly how well does the car drive with the electric-only? I've never experienced this.

I imagine it must be really cool to just have an electric "aura" around you - many electric cars, when you start them, have a "feel" about them, like the air itself around the car becomes charged. A little disconcerting but very cool.

10KW can't be enough to drive the car at more than about 10 mph, and it must drain the IMA battery really fast. Eh?

Resist · 04-19-2003, 12:02 AM

Macwarrior,

It's very under powered and goes less than 10mph and yes drains the batteries fast but, remember the Insight isn't designed to be driven in electic only mode.

I really wish the Insight was more like the Toyotas Prius. Electric only in low speeds and reverse.

tphamc · 04-19-2003, 06:53 PM

My mechanic recomends to fill up when the light is on or definitely try not to run out of gas because it makes the gas pump works harder and risk to be worn out. That's all.

Berk · 05-05-2005, 04:43 PM

Haven't run out, but with 2 bars showing on the gauge, it took 10 gallons to fill 'er up, so it was down to a couple of quarts. (Means it would've been on fumes, in just another thirty miles.)
Berk, used 2000 ~ 58 mpg in mtns.

collwjhcwu · 05-17-2005, 03:12 AM

How far do you think you could go on electric only (assuming flat surface)? Anyone tested it?

joecvt · 05-17-2005, 07:06 AM

Mike Dabrowski could probably be the best qualified person
to answer that question using the MIMA project. He has driven
around parking lots using electric only with the engine only idling so
the gas usage is minimal. Assuming a full charge, he could probably
tell you how long and how far you could go. Although if you get the
engine running by restarting and it stalls during MIMA, I wonder if it
will get on going?...

JoeCVT - Just your average CVT owner

Resist · 05-17-2005, 09:18 PM

I ran out of gas once in my CVT Insight. The car was very under powered and moved maybe only 10 to 15 miles per hour. It would burn through the batteries juice in no time!