From a thread about a New York "Green pass":
What happened with the Insight 2005-2006 models? Did the standards or vehicle change?

Thanks,
Bob Wilson

Operation Iraqi Oil Freedom:

Automatic, stock, project car.

My other 1500 cc car:

Automatic, stock, backup car.
Free speech, dialog and knowledge thrives without the poison of SPAM.

hmm. dunno. I'll have to look into that. The EPA's green vehicle guide might hold a clue.

The best I could discern from some very limited searching:

The CA/NY/green states Insight CVT has a pollution score of 9, which is SULEV II

The " " " manual has a pollution score of 3, which doesn't even register for light-duty vehicles!

This score has not changed since at least the 2003 model. I have absolutely zero explanation for the massive apparent emissions difference (but their 'greenhouse gas' scores are all the same). But by the numbers as published by the EPA it woudl appear that no Insights with stick should qualify?

http://www.epa.gov/emissweb/E-HONDA-Insight-03.htm

Time to dig deeper when I get a chance...

A little more digging...

The MT version is optimized for FE, and has lean-burn while the CVT does not. I had forgotten about this tidbit. So less fuel is burned--> lower exhaust temp--> longer catalytic heating--> more time out of emissions spec.

Also, the nonstoiciometric chemistry (too much oxygen) will result in relatively more N2 getting oxidized into NOx which is then aggravated by the cooler cat not scrubbing it out as well.

Also not helping:
The emissions test comes from the same data runs as the EPA FE testing. So for the MT, engine speed (and heating to a point) is at the mercy of the driver's shift habit. The CVT can keep it revving high to get up to temp more rapidly.

Although fixing the problem for one vehicle would not solve the fleet evaluation, I wonder if electric heating and a somewhat higher idle could mitigate at least the cat heating problem?

Thanks for running this down. Of course, if total load, not the relative rate, were used, I have no doubt the Insight would beat all of the SUVs including the hybrids and most cars weighing over 3,000 lbs.

Bob Wilson

Operation Iraqi Oil Freedom:

Automatic, stock, project car.

My other 1500 cc car:

Automatic, stock, backup car.
Free speech, dialog and knowledge thrives without the poison of SPAM.

The 5-speed Insight creates the least amount of greenhouse gases of any gas vehicle on today's market. Credit the lean burn. The 5-speed Insight also produces a high amount of NO2 - blame the lean burn. For this reason, California either does not give the 5-speed Insight a hybrid credit, sell it or both. Last year on a trip to northern California, I saw Prius', hybrid Civics, but no Insights.



The Insight CVT does not have lean burn, so it does not have the NO2 rap. It also has FE no better than the Prius or 2006 HCH. It does generate more greenhouse gases than the 5-speed....

61.5mpg lifetime - 82mpg in recent months

Best Run >
www.cleanmpg.com

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