All systems go in Honda's green machine

By DAVID LINKLATER

There is something deeply disturbing about a car that shuts down completely when you pull up at traffic lights.

On one hand you know not to worry. The Auto Stop indicator light is flashing on the instrument panel, proof positive that all systems will be go when they're needed.

On the other hand there's that nagging thought that you're going to look awfully silly if the car doesn't go again.

After all, you're sitting in a lime green hatchback with a faintly amused Falcon driver on one side and a Link bus behind you that's raring to go.

The lights change. Snick the gearlever into first and - yes! The three-cylinder engine bursts into life and the front wheels chirp as you race to the next set of lights. And stop again.

Actually, racing between intersections is probably not what Honda had in mind for its ultra-economical, ultra-clean-running Insight hybrid. Hence the Auto Stop feature, which prevents the car from wasting fuel and contributing to air pollution when it's standing still.

But it's hard to resist; partly because of the eager thrum from the tiny petrol powerplant and partly because you want everybody to know that you're not driving a rebodied golf cart.

This green machine belongs to Honda New Zealand and it's the only one in the country. But despite the concept-car looks, the Insight is a proper mass-production car, currently on sale in Japan, Europe and the US. It's a bespoke model and no components are shared with other Hondas.

Like Toyota's Prius, the Insight is a hybrid vehicle, which means it uses a combination of petrol and electric power.

However, while the Prius often blends its two powerplants in equal proportion, the Insight is primarily a petrol vehicle which uses its batteries for extra power. Honda's powertrain, called Integrated Motor Assist (IMA), is responsible for over 150 new patents. Claimed to be the lightest and smallest 1.0-litre engine in the world, the petrol part of the equation uses VTEC to produce a modest 50kW at 6700rpm and 92Nm at 4800rpm.

Extra power comes from the IMA's 60mm-wide brushless direct current electric motor, rated at 10kW and 48Nm. The petrol and electric motors are located up front, but the IMA's 20kg nickel-metal hydride battery sits under the rear hatch where you'd expect the rear seats of this small hatchback to be.

If the Insight is running, then so is the petrol engine. Unlike the Prius, the Honda is never powered solely by electricity. The battery-powered motor simply cuts in for extra oomph when required.

The Insight's battery is also self-sufficient. It never needs to be plugged into the mains because it recharges automatically whenever the car has energy to spare - during deceleration, freewheeling down hills, and so on.

Estimated life of the battery is 10 years or 160,000km. Performance is similar to a 1.6-litre supermini, with 0-100km/h in around 12 seconds.

Even after a day of largely inner-city driving - and the odd traffic light sprint - the trip computer was still reading 22.0 km/litre, which translates to 4.5 litres per 100km. I'd suggest that would be a minimum for everyday use. US government figures suggest 3.9 litres/100km in the city and 3.4 litres/100km on the highway. The Honda also meets the US Ultra Low Emissions Vehicle standard.

The hybrid powertrain does much of the fuel-economy work, but that odd-looking body shape plays a big part too.

The Insight's drag figure is 0.25 and the whole car weighs just 860kg. All of the panels are aluminium, with the exception of the plastic bumpers and rear wheel arch fairings.

Suspension and steering components are also aluminium. All very clever. But also a lot of fun to drive.

You can keep tabs on what the IMA powertrain is up to via the digital dashboard, which has graphs to tell you when the battery is assisting the petrol engine, when it's charging and when you should change gears for maximum economy. And an indicator light for Auto Stop of course.

So it works. But where to from here? Honda New Zealand says it has no plans to sell the Insight here, but will instead be using this car as a technology showcase. Supply is one issue - only 25,000 Insights are produced each year at Honda's Tochigi factory - while cost is another.

Life isn't cheap at the cutting edge: the Insight sells for around $60,000 overseas, which is a whole lot of money for a two-seat hatchback but probably still a loss-making proposition for the Honda factory.

The IMA drivetrain will almost certainly be used in future production Hondas, including the next Civic - possibly as early as 2002. That may be when hybrid power truly hits the motoring mainstream in New Zealand.