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OK folks, now that the new Prius-fighter from Honda has officially seen the sheet dropped at the Paris Motor Show early this morning, it's time to ask the important question — which one will win? In one corner, you've got the long-time champion of the hybrid arena. In the other, the pugnacious new Honda Insight , determined to beat the Prius in at least one chart — price. With that, here's the question: Gawker Media polls require Javascript; if you're viewing this in an RSS reader, click through to view in your Javascript-enabled web browser.
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With all the talk about alternative powertrains and who has the most hybrids, one statistic stands out: It's been more than five years since the second-generation Toyota Prius hit showrooms, marking the most recent new vehicle to have been designed only as a hybrid. And, as hybridcars.com reports, that's a huge challenge for Honda as it prepares to introduce its new Honda hybrid Prius-fighter. Not only does the new car need impeccable aerodynamics and the ability to seat five, but it also needs to be easily distinguished as a hybrid, yet instantly identifiable as a Honda and not a Prius. No matter how much they claim otherwise, hybrid buyers like to wear their green credentials on their sleeves. That's the beauty of the Prius: It can scream "green" without being covered with badging like the Tahoe Hybrid . It's smugness lies in its subtlety. So how can Honda rip off the Prius design while still producing a unique design? We're not sure, but if the artist's...
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Honda has been diligently working on its Toyota Prius -fighter, a dedicated Honda hybrid expected to go on sale early in 2009. But they recently pulled out the trump card in this battle royal — a starting price of just $18,500. The five-door, five-passenger hybrid-only car will get to that low, low price point by using a greatly simplified — and 50% cheaper — version of its Integrated Motor Assist hybrid system. Seems the mileage wars are really starting to heat up. galleryPost('NewHondaHybridSpy', 6, 'Prius Shaped Honda Hybrid Testing Out In The Desert'); Jalopnik Snap Judgment: Considering the Honda hybrid will be coming in a whopping $3,000 less than the base Prius and will wear the depreciation-proof Honda badge, we're betting the number one super-best automaker from the land of the rising sun will be redoubling efforts on its 2010 Toyota Prius . Within three years, we'll be looking at volume sales of high-mileage offerings from Toyota, Honda...
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You know, everything is usually better when you put ultra- in front of the name, except in the case of alternative energy automotive technologies. UltraBattery? Are you kidding me? Is that really the name? UltraBattery is the work of a team of researchers at Australia's national science agency. The "ultra" aspect of this battery is its ability to out-ast traditional battery systems. And despite how much I rag on its name, the technology isn't too shabby. It works by combining the tried and true lead-acid battery with supercapacitors. These UltraBatteries are capable of quickly charging and releasing energy over millions upon millions of cycles, with little to no battery degeneration. A Honda Insight outfitted with an UltraBattery completed a 100,000 mile track test in Britain, running on the battery alone. In addition to the increased lifespan, the batteries reportedly provide 50-percent more power and are 70-percent cheaper than the current nickel metal-hydride batteries...
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When hybrids first hit the market in 1999, critics and enthusiasts placed their bets on how long -- or short -- the $3,000 battery packs would last in the hands of consumers. Even some automakers expected they'd be toast in a few years, and stayed away from hybrid technology altogether. But Honda was more optimistic. With its Insight the first hybrid on the market, Honda assured buyers the batteries would last last the projected life of the vehicles -- about 8 to 10 years. Now, as the first Insights are rolling through their eighth year of life, most appear to be holding up. In fact, A JD Power and Associates durability survey shows hybrids having 10 percent fewer problems than typical gas burners, excepting higher defect rates from exhaust systems, engine computers and instrument panels. Honda acknowledges replacing some Insight battery packs under warranty, but won't share specific numbers, saying it's a small amount. Still, we haven't seen the Hybrid Armageddon some predicted. But is...
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