Jeff Powell


No, it’s not an old car, and I haven’t rebuilt it from scratch. It’s the latest technology in cars -- the 2000 Honda Insight. 

Neil caught me in the parking lot at C. T. English Middle School and asked about it. I get asked lots of questions, so here are some answers.

What is it? 

It’s a hybrid -- part gas and part electric. There are several types of hybrid cars, differing in how they use the gas and electric motors, but I know only two cars that are produced in volume and available for sale in the US--the Toyota Prius and the Honda Insight. 

It always runs on gas, with the electric motor boosting the power when it’s needed. 

There are, I’m told, something like 100 small (D-cell like) nickel metal hydride (NiMH) batteries in an enclosure behind the seats. The owner’s manual doesn’t say how long they last, and I’ve never seen them. In fact the battery compartment says, “No user serviceable parts inside.” 

I’m getting 58.5 MPG driving Highway 17. It’s rated 61 MPG city and 70 MPG highway. I can clearly see it getting better than 70 MPG if your driving is all on flat ground and between 45 and 65 MPH. 
It can easily keep up with traffic on 280, and it accelerates well enough that merging isn’t a problem. And yes, it has no problem going up Highway 17. It’s a five-speed manual, so you don’t have much power in fifth gear, but downshift into fourth or third and you can get back to speed after getting stuck behind a semi. 

I got it at the Honda dealer in Los Gatos. They had one in stock, so I took it off the lot. They sell fast though, and there aren’t that many available in the United States this year, so they are hard to find. I got lucky. It cost about $27,000, out the door. That includes some dealer markup because they won’t haggle much given the heavy demand and limited availability. I recommend the extended warranty because who knows if all this fancy technology will keep working.
I got it because my other car is a full-sized pickup, with the traditional full-sized pickup gas mileage. Although I need the truck for hauling stuff around, I hate driving it to work every day. I was waiting for something like the Insight to come along. It goes about 600 miles on a tank of gas. 
How many people can you get in there? 

It’s a two-seater, and you can’t be too heavy, as it only carries about 360 pounds. It really is a commuter car. 

How do you know how the battery is doing? 

The dashboard looks like something out of a science fiction movie. It’s all electronic, with meters for battery charge level, whether or not you’re charging or assisting with the motor, and all the traditional car stuff.

 
How is it on emissions? 

It’s rated as an ULEV -- Ultra Low Emission Vehicle. That’s pretty good, but not quite the best gas powered rating possible. The Toyota Prius gets a better rating, but based on what I’ve read, the Honda didn’t miss the mark by much. The only thing better than the Toyota would be pure electric. 

Why not the Toyota? 

The Honda gets better mileage, and I really like the way it looks. The Toyota is a small but traditional-looking four-door sedan. 

Why not get an electric car? 

They have too limited a range for those of us living up here. Highway 17 would demand a battery charge in a hurry so I’d have to recharge in town before I came home. That isn’t necessary with the Insight.

Are there any tax or other benefits to driving a hybrid car? 

Not that I know of. There were rumors that the California legislature was looking into letting ULEV cars use carpool lanes, but I don’t think that has happened. There are rumors of a possible tax credit, but I haven’t seen anything specific. If you hear anything, please let me know. 

I love this car! It’s fun to drive (even though it is my first manual, and I’m still a bit rough) and it sure saves money. Compared to my truck, I spend about one-fourth of what I previously spent on gas. That adds up in a hurry at almost $2 a gallon. I recommend it to anyone looking for a new commuter car.

 

 

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