July 2006 Scientific American - A New Take on Hybrids

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(Tideland Prius @ Jul 19 2006, 12:28 AM) [snapback]288542[/snapback]</div>

Yeah, but is that really a major upgrade? If I replace a 100GB HD with a 160GB HD is that a huge upgrade?

Actually, a 'family tree' of hybrids may be more interesting.

 

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(Tideland Prius @ Jul 19 2006, 01:23 PM) [snapback]288785[/snapback]</div>

A new design? Something radically different?

Upgrades could be new batteries, motors or engines. So yeah, HSD is an upgrade over the original THS. But it's not 'all new'. It's just a refinement.

 

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(usbseawolf2000 @ Jul 18 2006, 08:42 PM) [snapback]288528[/snapback]</div>

The predecessor to Honda's latest fuel-efficient engine was the lean-burn VTEC-E on the Civic HX/VX/etc which recycled some exhaust gas back into combustion chamber for reburning, and would shutdown to 1 valve-pair on idle.

Jonnycat26, is this related to what you were talking about?

 

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(NuShrike @ Jul 19 2006, 04:08 PM) [snapback]288896[/snapback]</div>

Nope... the old civic hybrid could shutdown 3 of it's 4 cylinders during low speed cruising or deceleration.

More info here:

http://www.greencarcongress.com/2005/09/show_time_for_t.html

The new civic is also capable of '3 cylinder idling', which is what the older civic used, and is different from the civic's electric cruise mode (4 cylinder idling).

I still can't believe how much functionality Honda developed out of that little IMA system. F'n amazing.