Yet Another New Japanese Hybrid Arrives Next Month - Honda Accord

[hatrack]

Get ready to learn something more about gasoline-electric hybrid technology: It can make V-6s more powerful and fuel-efficient. The world's first V-6 gas-electric hybrid, the 2005 Honda Accord Hybrid, goes on sale early next month as the most powerful Accord sedan ever, with 255 horsepower, up from 240 horses in a regular Accord with V-6.

The new five-passenger Accord also is likely to rank as the second-best midsize sedan in fuel economy, with an expected rating of 30 miles a gallon in city driving and 37 mpg on the highway.

This is even better than the 26/34 mpg rating for a four-cylinder-powered Accord and means an Accord Hybrid driver could go about 600 miles -- or from Washington, D.C., to Raleigh, N.C., and back and then some -- on a single tank of regular gas.

Starting price for this top-of-the-line Accord will be up there -- about $30,000 or so for the manufacturer's suggested retail price and destination charge. Final pricing will be announced closer to the car's arrival in showrooms."

EDIT

http://seattlepi.nwsource.com/wheels/198090_road05.html

[phantom power]

1. Was there ever any doubt? Why, I'll go out on a limb and

make a wild prediction: hybrid technology can make V-8s more efficient too!

See? I'm psychic!

[Strelnikov_]

2. Problem Is, We Need Cars With 60-80 mpg, Instead Of Using Hybrid

technology to make 4-wheel living rooms more efficient.

[Dissenting_Prole]

3. Good point.

The damn thing only gets 37 mpg on the highway!

Now this is more like it!



http://www.smart.com/

[midnight armadillo]

4. This is a marketing driven design

Honda's system is not ultimately as fuel efficient as the Toyota and Ford style systems, since it cannot move under electric power only.

I think that Honda, after eyeing the massive demand for the Prius, opted for a high power, reasonably efficient hybrid in order to get the automotive press to fawn over their car's performance. The goal, of course, is to drive sales. Plus higher prices == higher margins.

I hope that Honda introduces a better hybrid in the future, with a 4-cyl and 10-15 mpg more. 255 hp is way more than the average driver needs.

[muriel_volestrangler]

5. Should automatic transmissions be banned?

I ask because I thought I'd find some figures for an equivalent diesel car. Trying the VW Passat, I found these :

6-speed manual:
Pferdestärken 163
Fuel Consumption
Urban 28.5mpg - 9.9l/100km
Extra-urban 53.3mpg - 5.3l/100km
Combined 40.9mpg - 6.9l/100km
Engine emissions 186g/km
Engine maximum Speed 134mph - 220km/h
Engine acceleration 0-62mph 9.6secs

5-sp. auto:
Pferdestärken 163
Fuel Consumption
Urban 24.4mpg - 11.6l/100km
Extra-urban 48.7mpg - 5.8l/100km
Combined 35.8mpg - 7.9l/100km
Engine emissions 213g/km
Engine maximum Speed 133mph - 214km/h
Engine acceleration 0-62mph 10.7sec

http://www.volkswagen.co.uk/new_cars/passat_saloon/engines#

(those are British gallons, which are 1.2 US gallons). That engine is about 160 HP.

So, this new hybrid does get better urban economy, but worse cruising.

But look at the difference in the transmissions! You can save more than 10% just by stopping being a lazy bastard and changing gear yourself.

In the UK, if you pass your driving test on an automatic transmission, you're only licenced to drive an automatic transmission (because most people are pretty poor at using a manual the first time they try it, so they're not so safe on the road)- so nearly everyone learns to use a manual gearbox.

What are the US requirements - does it vary by state? If the rules were changed to be like the UK, could US teenagers be weaned off the teat of automatic transmissions, and introduced to the world of responsible adult motoring?

[7 Lazy P]

7. What he said.

I don't believe that any state requires drivers to learn to use a manual transmission. I like them simply because they are more fun and I feel more involved and in control. Improved fuel efficiency is just a bonus.

I've read that over 75% of new car sales in the US are now for vehicles with automatic transmission. It could be pure laziness, but I suspect that the real reason is that it's hard to work that annoying shifter while juggling your cell phone, make-up, and double mocha skim latte

[Bamboo]

6. Ban Drive-Thru.

Garrison Keillor is singing in Honda TV ads in Britain.Keillor does the voiceover in an ad called "The Cog" for the Accord.The ad is a Rube Goldberg machine of auto parts and is facinating.They get Kellior and we get Joe Isuzu.I nearly got creamed by an SUV awhile back and was amazed how fast I could smell their burnt rubber even with the windows up and air on recirculate.There isn't regulation on driver skill like there isn't regulation on how many credit cards you can have,keep going until you crash and sort it out later.
http://www.honda.co.uk/thecog/cog.mov is 4.85mb
http://multimedia.honda-eu.com/accord/300k.swf is 4mb.

[buddysmellgood]

8. I want a hybrid Honda Element.

And when the hydrogen version comes out, I'll buy that.