From Ecopedia

Overview

Manufactured by the Japan-based Honda Motor Company, Ltd, the Honda Insight is an eco-friendly hybrid electric vehicle, featuring the company’s proprietary Integrated Motor Assist (IMA) system, which ensures reduced carbon footprint on the environment.

Till date, two generations of Insight versions are introduced into the global automobile market. Priced at $19,800, the new five-door hatchback Insight is currently the least expensive hybrid vehicle available in the US. As per the December 1999 US autosales report, Honda Insight’s US sales surpassed those of Toyota Prius, another environmentally top-rated hybrid car in the US.

Introduced into the Japanese automobile market in November 1999, Honda Insight clinched the top position in the list of top-selling vehicles in Japan for the year 2009. Honda Insight became the first ever hybrid to achieve the feat.

Some of the most eco-friendly automobile characteristics of the Honda Insight include:

• Eco Assist™
• ECON™ Button, and
• Integrated Motor Assist IMA®

Environmental Information

The unique IMA feature of the Honda Insight offers exceptional levels of fuel economy as well as extremely low greenhouse gas emissions. While the gasoline engine of the hybrid serves as the chief power source, the electric motor of the vehicle offers additional power as per needs. By integrating both gasoline and electric motor power, the Honda Insight assures lowered energy consumption and reduced carbon footprint.

Optimized aerodynamics incorporating a lightweight structure made of aluminum aids in maximizing fuel efficiency and minimizing emissions.

Compared to other hybrids, the Insight is extremely suitable for highway driving. The automobile earned the United States Environmental Protection Agency (EPA)’s fuel efficiency rating of 70 miles per US gallon (equivalent to 3.4 L/100 km; 84 mpg-imp) in highway driving.

Eco-friendly Features

Eco Assist™

The new Ecological Drive Assist System (Eco Assist) is a driver-focused fuel-efficiency enhancing system, which by guiding the alterations of various automobile systems helps to reduce the overall energy consumption of the car.

The sophisticated feedback feature of the system assists the driver in controlling the braking and acceleration speeds by displaying, through an intuitive color display, a feedback on the fuel-efficiency levels of the driver. Eco Assist™ technology thus aids in significantly enhancing the fuel-efficiency of the vehicle. Drivers could achieve high fuel-efficiency by simply referring to the intuitive color display.

Additionally, the Eco Assist™ system also supports a cumulative scoring system to assess the Insight’s Eco Score.

ECON™ Button

An ECON™ Button provided in the Honda Insight automatically modifies certain systems parts of the vehicle to minimize the car’s energy consumption.

Integrated Motor Assist IMA®

The Integrated Motor Assist IMA® is the proprietary feature of the company. The electric motor of the IMA works in conjunction with the Insight’s gasoline engine, besides supplying more power and torque in the assist mode of the system.

IMA’s motor, being extremely thin, facilitates easy mounting of the device between the motor engine and the transmission.

The IMA motor does the function of a generator for the motor-assist system during deceleration as well as a starter by quickly spinning the motor engine up to an idle speed.

The IMA system also assists in measuring the torque and horsepower of the vehicle.

Awards and Recognitions

The state of California in the US, known for stringent fuel-economy standards, recognized the manual-transmission Honda Insight as a top-rated ultra-low-emission car.

In 2000, the Honda Insight earned the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA)’s Climate Protection Award.

The American Council for an Energy-Efficient Economy (ACEEE), titled the Honda Insight as the “Greenest Vehicle” for the years, 200, 2002, 2003 as well as 2006.

In 2005, Honda Insight receives Highest EPA Fuel Economy Rating.

In 2006, Insight earns Best Fuel Economy recognition from Kiplinger's.

References

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Honda_Insight http://automobiles.honda.com/insight-hybrid/fuel-efficiency.aspx http://automobiles.honda.com/insight-hybrid/environment.aspx http://automobiles.honda.com/insight-hybrid/features.aspx?Feature=ecoassist http://automobiles.honda.com/insight-hybrid/features.aspx?Feature=ecoassist

http://automobiles.honda.com/insight-hybrid/features.aspx?Feature=ecoassist http://automobiles.honda.com/insight-hybrid/value.aspx http://www.conceptcarz.com/vehicle/z15726/Honda-Insight-Concept-Hybrid.aspx