Honda Insight Hybrid
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Initially introduced in 1999, Honda Insight Hybrid was trailblazer in the hybrid market. With its aerodynamic frame and slim styling, the Insight was a straight forward mostly frill-less vehicle.
Honda Insight Hybrid was not well received in the United States, selling only around 18,000 its first year. Though, it must be taken into consideration the Honda Insight Hybrid was the first mass-produced hybrid of its kind.
It’s unfamiliar mechanics and appearance were were quickly won out with the other benefits of owning a hybrid. After Toyota’s launch of the Prius in 2002, Honda answered the call again with the release of the Hybrid Civic, a new take on its most popular model the following year.
At its inception, the Honda Insight only came in three trims; manual with or without air conditioning or continuously variable transmission with air conditioning. The lightweight three door subcompact hatchback utilized extensive use of both aluminum and plastic to reduce the vehicle’s overall mass and provide a ride with one of the lowest coefficients of drag on the market.
It was also only available in two-seater. Honda Insight Hybrid remained mainly unchanged until the end of end of its production in 2006. At the end of that manufacturing year, the Insight was replaced on production lines with a new hybrid car line smaller than even the compact Civic.
Ten years later, the Honda Insight Hybrid is in its second generation. The model previously produced with moderate success has been updated, becoming more akin to the concept car Honda showed in at auto shows during the 2003 year. The actual Insight made its debut in 2008 at the Paris and then state-side at the Los Angeles Auto Shows.
This remodeled Insight is planned to do much better than its initial debut. The company reports a forecast 200,000 moved in the first year, with sales starting in April of 2009. As many as half, 100,000, of the total sales are expected to take place in the United States. Experts place the price of the vehicle to be around 19,000 to 22,000 US Dollars and about 15,000 GBP in Europe. These prices are highly speculative however, as the manufacturer has not released any exact price range, stating only that when it does launch, the Honda Insight Hybrid will be the most affordable Hybrid on the market.
Honda Insight Hybrid utilizes the best of technologies. The leader in fuel economy since its initial production, the Insight is expected to reclaim that title next year. The Insight utilizes two separate “engines” to maintain efficacy. The first is the 70 horse power gasoline engine the second is a pack of “D” grade NiHM batteries located by the seats. Regenerative braking keeps the batteries charged. When the batteries need changing, Honda was paying the replacement costs up to 150,000.
Afterward, the batteries run about $2,000 with $900 installation fees. Independent mechanics have been reconditioning Insight battery packs as well as using more mass produced batteries to negate the high costs of new Insight batteries.
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