Ipod mount and better seats. Seats are ok but could have more support. Kevin

2004 silverblue 5 sp.

1.) A cruise control that could be dual mode: a conventional speed hold and another mode that allowed a MPG target from the FCD. Or a dual mode, set 75 mpg on the FCD, as the primary and allow a max speed of 55 miles per hour for example.

2.) A DVD based navigation system

3.) Move the seat back adjuster levers to the outside of the seat.

4.) Move the instruments to the area below the bottom edge of the windshield (like the Prius II).

5.) Automatic temperature sensitive warm-air intake and radiator block.

Regards,

How about warranty-acceptable EV mode in the US!

Visit my newly-acquired website, Volconvo Debate Forums!

I personally like the suggestion about having more specific control about how much the assist is used. For example, there are times where the battery is nearly full, but the assist doesn't kick in even though the engine is revving pretty high to get up a hill. There are also a lot of times where I go to brake and the battery is already fully charged, so I think that the computer can be a bit too "shy" in using the electric motor.

My idea would be a switch three "modes" for using the assist:

1) Light Assist -- assist would only kick in very gradually, for example, for a long hill climb, selecting light assist would make it so that the battery wouldn't get fully drained before reaching the top, as the computer would wait longer before using the assist, and wouldn't use it as heavily.

2) "Normal" Assist -- this is how the cars run out of the box

3) Heavy Assist -- Electric motor runs at the highest level possible in any given situation. For shorter hill climbs, or for "rolling hills" this would allow the battery power to take on a lot of the heavy load without revving up the main engine a whole lot. Though this would lead to the battery pack running out much more quickly for longer ascents.

It could even be taken a step further an have a continuous "dial" rather than three settings, with one end of the spectrum favoring less assist, one favoring more, and anywhere in between being an option.

I also find there are a lot of times that the Civic Hybrid tends to idle when it could be running in "auto stop" mode. Manually starting and stopping the engine is a bit too much of a hassle for things like waiting in line at a drive though IMHO, what I would like to see is a toggle switch that would, if depressed, cause the Auto-stop feature to kick in at any full-stop, rather than waiting until the car gets up to speed first. I agree though there are other times where it's better just to let the thing idle, such as a stop-and-go line up of some that is moving very quickly. I just find it irritating when I stop, only to have to roll forward a couple of car lengths, and sit with the engine idling for a long time.

Another thing that I think would be a clever, if a bit far out idea, would be a fuel consumption display based on auditory or tactile feedback, so it wouldn't be necessary to divert my eyes from the road at all. Perhaps something that would give out a few "clicks" in succession, or maybe even small pulses in the steering wheel that could be felt, in response to a significant change in the immedate MPGs--slower pulses to indicate less fuel consumption, faster ones to indicate more fuel consumption. So, if I go to accelerate, it would first give me a set of fast clicks, after a whlie, as I settle out, another set a bit slower, then if I change from 40 to 60, or 60 to 80 or whatever, each time I'd be met with the appropriate speed "clicks" or "pulses."

There is actually a small group of Honda Insight owners that is actually working on this very idea. They have hacked into the electronics to make it happen. In theory their idea would work for any Honda hybrid.

Eric Powers

MHG Organizer - www.MadisonHybridGroup.com
Hybridfest 2008 - A Hybrid Electric Car Show and More! www.hybridfest.com
Madison, WI July 19 & 20, 2008

That's very interesting. I was reading a bit about it at the insightcentral.net forums, although their website died on me so I couldn't finish. What they seem to have done is a manual IMA, and If I could have that, I'm sure I coudl improve my mileage significantly. As it is, to kick in the assist going uphill on the highway, I have to push the throttle down to about the ~30MPG range before the assist will come on hard, then immediately release it just so much that the fuel gauge goes up to 40-45 without killing the assist. It's pretty tricky, and doesn't use the electric motor as much as it could, especially with ~90% charge on the battery.

the sunroof i had installed was the model that slides in-between the head liner and the roof. looks classy, and does quite a nice job of disappearing.

HCH Wish List:

CRUISE CONTROL
I completely agree that a means to have cruise control interacting with MPG would be wonderful - I was thinking the same thing. Perhaps maximize MPG within a defined speed range such as: 55 miles per hour to 65 miles per hour (faster down hill, slows uphill).

DRIVER CONTROL OF BATTERY ASSIST
It would be wonderful to be able to manually activate battery assist (just like you can tap up on the cruise control setting), when driving and trying to control speed / MPG a little push of the assist could maintain speed without requiring engine

SUN ROOF

EXTERNAL TEMPERATURE GAUGE (standard in most other cars)

AUTO SHUTOFF DRIVER TRIGGER (stopped for extended period in traffic when the feature did not kick in due to stop and go previously)

CD PLAYER THAT DISPLAYS TRACK NUMBER (standard in other brands of cars; in HCH must double toggle "repeat" button for a brief glimpse)

CD PLAYER THAT DISPLAYS TIME POSITION WITHIN SONG (standard in other brands of cars)

CD PLAYER THAT DISPLAYS REMAINING TIME in song

My Hybrid wish list:

1 - hybrid synergy drive kit to convert classic cars to a hybrid drive system (I know, very wishful thinking).

2 - hybrid synergy drive with a clean diesel engine, for better highway mileage. Also, this would permit using biodiesel or with a kit, SOV burning for the ultimate grean machine.

3 - alternatively, a hybrid synergy drive that runs on bio-ethanol (cleaner than diesel).

4 - an HSD car with auxiliary solar power generation. I know that solar on a car even with all surfaces equipped, cannot produce enough to move a car as heavy as the Prius, but while sitting in a parking lot it could slowly help recharge an extended capacity battery. This feature would make most sense in combination with a plug-in hybrid.

5 - a plug in version of the HSD Prius with extended battery capacity, and possibly with the plug-in input optimized for home electric primary systems that generate electricity from wind / solar, optimized for direct charging of the plug in hybrid.

There is only one thing I would like to see improve in hybrid cars.

Battery Technology
I hope that the manufacturers of hybrid vehicles continue to improve upon the technology used in hybrid batteries. Ideally, in the future it would be nice to see the fossil fuel aspect of hybrid engines phased out completely (all-electric).