DETROIT — As it becomes increasingly likely that General Motors will unveil the production version of its much-anticipated Chevy Volt here later this month, competing automakers are now codifying their plans for next-generation hybrids of their own. On the heels of a senior Ford official describing all-electric cars to PM last night as “the ultimate solution”—and confirming that its Escape hybrid was headed for production as a plug-in—Honda offered a first look this morning at its new, cheap, 40-mpg-plus Honda Insight hybrid (pictured above).
A full look at the already teased Volt should begin a cavalcade of new hybrid hype—the much-spied (and seemingly close-to-production) Insight concept will debut next month at the Paris Motor Show, likely followed by a 2010 Infiniti hybrid at a show early next year, and finally the launch of the new Toyota Prius next spring. But don’t expect radical jumps in fuel economy—even an electrified Prius is still prepping for fleet testing in Japan late next year, as hyperefficient plug-ins will arrive later. Here’s an update on four hybrids we’re watching closely as GM prepares to drop the Volt bomb.
2010 Honda Insight Hybrid
Honda will finally go toe-to-toe with the Prius when the unique-looking five-passenger hybrid that we’ve been expecting debuts next spring under the popular Insight moniker. Specific details are slim, but we know the Insight hybrid will use a powertrain similar to the Civic Hybrid, which means a 1.3-liter VTEC four-cylinder engine mated to an electric assist motor (about 115 hp total) and CVT transmission. This powertrain rarely operates in electric-only mode (only during light-load cruising), so that means a plug-in version is highly unlikely—for now. But as far as miles per gallon go, the Insight should still hit the mid- to high-40s on the EPA’s city and highway test cycles.
What’s more, the Honda powertrain has a more conventional design than Toyota’s, which means the Insight will cost far less the Prius’s $22,000 base price. Our guess is that it will be well below 20 grand and will probably be the least expensive hybrid on the market. The Insight’s five-door body is based on the FCX Clarity fuel-cell car, and if the dimensions carry over, that means a generous rear seat and lots of cargo room. Considering that the Honda Fit is already shockingly roomy for its diminutive exterior, we expect the same of the Insight. Honda will also include a dash readout that will coach pilots to drive for better fuel economy. The planned U.S. sales volume is 100,000 a year, which shouldn’t be hard to achieve.
2010 (?) Ford Escape Plug-in
If the Insight is Honda’s shot at the Prius, Ford is cooking up some pure EV competition for the extended-range Volt hybrid. Down on hydrogen-powered cars and fuel cells in particular, Ford VP for Global Product Development Derrick Kuzak hinted here last night that all-electric cars might be the company’s endgame. “We have to get beyond having two powertrains,” Kuzak said, citing weight, complexity and cost issues as reasons to eventually move beyond hybrids and plug-in hybrid electric vehicles (PHEVs). There’s already a basic electric infrastructure, he said, that can be upgraded to handle EVs a lot easier—and at a far lower cost—than setting up a hydrogen infrastructure. Down the road, Ford may not seek a 200-mi. range for such vehicles, as Kuzak insisted that 100 miles was acceptable “for most of the world”—and, it should be noted, for competitors like Nissan.
If the race to workable lithium-ion battery technology proves to have too many hurdles, Ford remains optimistic about the possibilities for cellulosic ethanol. Right now, however, the company is running a number of plug-in versions of the Ford Escape hybrid as part of a project with Southern California Edison. And without offering a specific timetable, Kuzak confirmed that Ford plans to put into general production a PHEV version, with a “general” goal of achieving Volt-level range on battery power alone—that’s to the tune of 40 miles per charge.
2010 Infiniti Hybrid
On a recent test drive in Japan, we sampled a prototype of Nissan’s first in-house designed hybrid. We noticed that the transitions from gas to electric were a bit rough—not quite production-ready. So, some fine-tuning remains. The system will debut on a 2010 Infiniti product. It works similarly to the two-mode approach used by GM and others, but Infiniti will provide a longer EV-only range and a maximum speed of 75 mph on pure electric power.
2010 Toyota Prius
The current Prius is the only hybrid that doesn’t have a conventional gasoline counterpart. It was designed as a dedicated hybrid. And even in its final year of production, it’s still a hit. The all-new Prius will arrive next spring with a larger 1.8-liter gas engine, but the rest of the hybrid system is evolutionary. Eight months after launch, Toyota will offer a plug-in hybrid Prius with a lithium-ion battery pack. And it, too, could match the Volt’s projected 40-miles-per-charge, electric-only range.
A full look at the already teased Volt should begin a cavalcade of new hybrid hype—the much-spied (and seemingly close-to-production) Insight concept will debut next month at the Paris Motor Show, likely followed by a 2010 Infiniti hybrid at a show early next year, and finally the launch of the new Toyota Prius next spring. But don’t expect radical jumps in fuel economy—even an electrified Prius is still prepping for fleet testing in Japan late next year, as hyperefficient plug-ins will arrive later. Here’s an update on four hybrids we’re watching closely as GM prepares to drop the Volt bomb.
2010 Honda Insight Hybrid
Honda will finally go toe-to-toe with the Prius when the unique-looking five-passenger hybrid that we’ve been expecting debuts next spring under the popular Insight moniker. Specific details are slim, but we know the Insight hybrid will use a powertrain similar to the Civic Hybrid, which means a 1.3-liter VTEC four-cylinder engine mated to an electric assist motor (about 115 hp total) and CVT transmission. This powertrain rarely operates in electric-only mode (only during light-load cruising), so that means a plug-in version is highly unlikely—for now. But as far as miles per gallon go, the Insight should still hit the mid- to high-40s on the EPA’s city and highway test cycles.
What’s more, the Honda powertrain has a more conventional design than Toyota’s, which means the Insight will cost far less the Prius’s $22,000 base price. Our guess is that it will be well below 20 grand and will probably be the least expensive hybrid on the market. The Insight’s five-door body is based on the FCX Clarity fuel-cell car, and if the dimensions carry over, that means a generous rear seat and lots of cargo room. Considering that the Honda Fit is already shockingly roomy for its diminutive exterior, we expect the same of the Insight. Honda will also include a dash readout that will coach pilots to drive for better fuel economy. The planned U.S. sales volume is 100,000 a year, which shouldn’t be hard to achieve.
2010 (?) Ford Escape Plug-in
If the Insight is Honda’s shot at the Prius, Ford is cooking up some pure EV competition for the extended-range Volt hybrid. Down on hydrogen-powered cars and fuel cells in particular, Ford VP for Global Product Development Derrick Kuzak hinted here last night that all-electric cars might be the company’s endgame. “We have to get beyond having two powertrains,” Kuzak said, citing weight, complexity and cost issues as reasons to eventually move beyond hybrids and plug-in hybrid electric vehicles (PHEVs). There’s already a basic electric infrastructure, he said, that can be upgraded to handle EVs a lot easier—and at a far lower cost—than setting up a hydrogen infrastructure. Down the road, Ford may not seek a 200-mi. range for such vehicles, as Kuzak insisted that 100 miles was acceptable “for most of the world”—and, it should be noted, for competitors like Nissan.
If the race to workable lithium-ion battery technology proves to have too many hurdles, Ford remains optimistic about the possibilities for cellulosic ethanol. Right now, however, the company is running a number of plug-in versions of the Ford Escape hybrid as part of a project with Southern California Edison. And without offering a specific timetable, Kuzak confirmed that Ford plans to put into general production a PHEV version, with a “general” goal of achieving Volt-level range on battery power alone—that’s to the tune of 40 miles per charge.
2010 Infiniti Hybrid
On a recent test drive in Japan, we sampled a prototype of Nissan’s first in-house designed hybrid. We noticed that the transitions from gas to electric were a bit rough—not quite production-ready. So, some fine-tuning remains. The system will debut on a 2010 Infiniti product. It works similarly to the two-mode approach used by GM and others, but Infiniti will provide a longer EV-only range and a maximum speed of 75 mph on pure electric power.
2010 Toyota Prius
The current Prius is the only hybrid that doesn’t have a conventional gasoline counterpart. It was designed as a dedicated hybrid. And even in its final year of production, it’s still a hit. The all-new Prius will arrive next spring with a larger 1.8-liter gas engine, but the rest of the hybrid system is evolutionary. Eight months after launch, Toyota will offer a plug-in hybrid Prius with a lithium-ion battery pack. And it, too, could match the Volt’s projected 40-miles-per-charge, electric-only range.
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