I'm not sure what you mean. It was pumping exhaust like a regular engine on a cold chilly evening.

 

Please note that the electric motor and the engine crankshaft are connected together on the Honda IMA system, therefore the engine always has to spin on driving.
The Toyota HSD system can be run by electric motor alone.
http://www.hybridsynergydrive.com/en/quick_guide.html

Ken@Japan

 

What we've read is that the HCH-II has a limited form of EV operation, but it's hard for the driver to know when this is happening. Here's why: in EV mode, the RPM gauge will NOT go to zero because the engine's pistons still reciprocate while in EV mode (bacause the gasoline engine cannot disengage from the transmission, unlike the Prius). However, no gasoline is consumed in EV mode the intake valves seal shut.

So, it's highly likely that you use the EV mode every day for short periods and just have no way of knowing when it happens.

As far as a software update goes, we think it would be of limited use. The IMA architecture is an assist to the gasoline engine, nothing more. It does what it does very well, but it's never going to be a full hybrid like a Prius is. IMA has 20 HP and HSD has something like 67 HP.

 

Nicely put Indigo.

Cheers;

MSantos

 

So basically the Honda Civic is a MILD HYBRID like GM's..... Whether or not the Civic gets better mileage than it's non-hybrid counterpart is a matter of driver. Some people can get very high mpgs while others might not.

 

Sorry arbittan, the Civic is NOT a mild hybrid either. There are currently 4 basic hybrid topologies:

1. Full Hybrid (HSD, Two Mode)
2. Power Assist Hybrid (IMA)
3. Mild Hybrid (GM's BAS)
4. Plug-in Hybrid

Cheers;

MSantos

 

However, when in electrix mode, the intake and exhaust valves both close, to give close to a net zero drag on the engine, for full electric operation.
The mileage difference between a Prius and an HCH is minimal.

Any driver will get better mileage in a Civic hybrid than a regular Civic. If you can't get 40MPG on a Civic hybrid, you won't get 30 MPG on a regular Civic. My wife does not do any gliding, or other special driving techniques, yet she gets 45-47 MPG--I get a couple of MPG better without going out of my way to get great mileage. After getting 62+MPG in city driving on a test, I know the car can deliver, but I prefer to just follow normal traffic rather than be a traffic obstacle!

 

OK, does the Auto Stop light flash when the car goes into EV mode while driving? Or is there really no indication at all that it has stopped using gas...

And another quick quesiton, when accelerating from a stop, Sometimes I try and accelerate like a grandma, really slowly, but what I have noticed is that the instant mpg bar just stays at like 15 mpg for a long time (and only uses a couple bars of assist), whereas if I accelerate quickly, it is only at 10 mpg for a short period of time (and using full assist), and then once it gets up to my desired speed i can slack off from the accelerator and the instant mpg goes back up to about 50 or so.

So which way is better? Slow, prolonged acceleration, or harder, but shorter, acceleration?

 

Ashen test-drove a 2006 HCH once. The Autostop light doesn't flash in EV mode, but the instant fuel consumtion bar should peg at 100 MPG.

 

Quote:

Originally Posted by spinner

Try using the metric scale in your car for awhile -- provided that you are still adhering to speed limits and driving conditions. I have witnessed my HCHII go into electric-only mode at high speed, but these moments are under the right conditions and are usually brief. I've seen it in electric-only mode while cruising at 100 km/h. The evidence I use is the live fuel efficiency meter, which in metric drops to 0 L/100km. During these moments, there is a trickle amount of ASSIST happening.

In colder climates your fuel efficiency is going to suck a bit. All hybrids need a warm engine to operate at peak efficiency. I saw this the other day while watching a TCH drive off (from a stop) with the engine active.

I live in Singapore and the temperature is 80 deg F all year round. Can't get into ASST mode at speeds above 50 km/h (i.e. 30 mph) on flat ground. My Civic Hybrid read metric only.

pBen mentioned that "I know that between 10mph and 30-50 miles per hour you can get your meter to peg at 100 mpg and push the assist indicator 3-4 bars sustaining a speed."

Just thinking aloud... did HONDA designed the ECU to read just the digits 50 (be it 50 km/h or 50 mph) to allow shift into ASST mode? If so, then I believe, the non metric models will be able to electric run at higher speed. 50 mph is approx. 80 km/h.