An "Insight" into the future!

[peterperkins]

With petrol prices and environmental concerns going the way they have been, I made the decision a while back to move to much more fuel efficient vehicles. I used to have a Saab 9000 Aero. I now own two UK spec Honda Insight hybrids (www.insightcentral.co.uk), and a self converted Bedford Rascal Lithium-Ion powered AC regen drive van. (www.solarvan.co.uk) I don't begrudge anyone there own choice of vehicles, free country and all that, these are just mine.

1) My family has three vehicles and we don't pay any road tax on any of them. All band A or otherwise exempt Thanks Gordon!

2) All are exempt from the congestion charge and parking fees in London Thanks Ken!

3) The Honda Insights are amazing vehicles, and driven at 50-55mph in good weather over 100mpg is achievable. (I'll post some speedo shots to demonstrate this later.)
I currently average about 90mpg on my 26 mile daily commute. Sadly there are only 257 Insights in the UK, only 70 of those are UK spec cars, and Honda have now stopped building or selling them, replacing them with the much poorer Civic hybrid IMO.

4) The cars produce much less CO2, and hopefully are better for the environment.

5) I'm saving a fortune as well as the planet.

The wife and I went to the Dordogne in July, drove 2000 miles in one of the Honda's on <£100 of fuel. 118mpg over one 200mile stretch

My advice, ditch the gas guzzler while it's still worth something, and get an Insight if you can find one, or a Toyota Prius and save wads of cash!

Regards and happy xmas to all.

Peter

[peterperkins]

Here is a link to a 15 min divx 100mb video of a Honda Insight Demo.

http://rapidshare.com/files/4019747/I

[peterperkins]

I don't disagree/object to any of the replies here, personal choice and all that. All entitled to our view. You can drive about in your (Insert car name here!) if you like. I choose my way so I could spend more cash on wine, women and song, or beer and girls if you like! I used Thunder Sky Lithium-Ion batteries in my EV, yes they are expensive £4500. Some posters have complained about these rare and expensive batteries, I take your point, but they are all now recyclable, you can't just chuck batteries away like we used too. So yes they cost a lot in small volumes, but can be recycled and as we move to a non fossil fuel transport economy they will improve, and come down in price. I agree an EV is a short range only vehicle at present. Just the other side of the coin. Regards Peter

[peterperkins]

Davi said:

One other question for you...

Knowing Liths ability to go into self-fuelling thermal runaway, leading to explosion and the release of lethally toxic gasses through nothing more serious than a single cell over discharge, how do you feel about the safety aspect of your van, and how have you overcome the need for cell balancing when charging that many?!

Urban Myth really, the cells I have are very rugged and don't busrt into flame, explode, etc at the drop of a hat. I monitor and balance them carefully with simple circuits on each cell. Not rocket science at all. Some cells do burn, i've seen the videos, generally only through gross abuse. Direct short circuit, grossly overcharged, punctured etc. Bit like your fuel tank really. I am confident enough to have driven it for the last 3 years with the cells over 20,000 miles. I agree the technology is not there yet, but it's comming up on the outside pretty fast now. Nanotechnology,Supercapcitors etc

[peterperkins]

Davi said:

could you give me the specs on those packs please? that's very cheap compared to the ones I use in my aircraft!!! (one of my packs is £250 on it's own - and that's only 4 cell)

I bought 30x200ah 3.6v nominal Li-Ion cells in Sept 2003 as part of a UK enthusiast bulk purchase group. Cost £4500. Capacity about 20kwh, peak power capability about 40kw, life unknown, I had the money spare so took a gamble, It's expensive trying new technology.

[peterperkins]

jimsupersix said:

peterperkins said:

4) The cars produce much less CO2, and hopefully are better for the environment.

5) I'm saving a fortune as well as the planet.

So either you don't give a toss about the planet part and are just saving yourself wads of cash at the expense of the planet by knowingly driving an eco-nightmare, or you are ignorant of/unwilling to acknowledge the true cost of your actions. Which is it?

Both

Ok, Truce read these instead

www.pistonheads.com/gassing/topic.asp?t=330899&f=23&h=0
www.pistonheads.com/gassing/topic.asp?t=330897&f=23&h=0

[peterperkins]

I am an ethusiast believe me, I like "Top Gear" and everything!!

I've owned quite a few vehicles in my 30 year driving career so far.

Honda 50,
Honda 90,
Le-Velocette (Noddy Bike)
Honda CX500

Reliant Robin (Before I passed my car test, drove it on my bike license, then crashed it)
Hillman Imp (Various inc 998 Rallye version)
Vauxhall Chevette
Ford Escort 1.4
Citroen ZX 1.9TD
Saab 9000 Aero
and now I have seen the light
Honda Insights x2
Bedford Rascal EV

I have rebuilt more engines than I've had hot dinners! I like to see decent cars going fast in the right places. I just prefer to poodle along now, "Tortoise and the Hare" etc

I've enjoyed all the comments. Regards Peter

[peterperkins]

Road_Terrorist said:

BTW what sort of price do Insights sell for these days anyway?

Depends of course, but from £4000 to £7000+ is a ball park figure.

[peterperkins]

Honda Insight

Rarer than a Jensen, Rolls, Jag, Evo, etc, etc (Insert rare car name here) OK not as fast or rare as a Veyron Hens Teeh, Gold Dust, Rocking Horse Poo. Regards.

[peterperkins]

Davi said:

could you tell me the individual cell ah, or how many cells are in one block? (I take it there are actually 30 clusters of cells rather than 30 200ah packs!!!)

30 x 200ah cells not packs!

www.thunder-sky.com/detal/TS-LCP200AHA.pdf