Good fuel mileage, low emissions and safety. We have been at this a long time. The car manufacturers have done a great job, but more needs to be done. No matter how good a technician you are, you can only make the car as good as the engineers originally designed it. We have a problem on our hands but a lot of people don't seem to care. We are more dependent on foreign oil than we were during the 1973 embargo, and we have the lowest average fuel economy since 1980. Our country could be in big trouble if the price of fuel continues to go up or worse yet, the availability is cut off. Something has to change. Something has. Something big, but no one has noticed. I am talking about the Toyota Prius and the Honda Insight. And there is more to follow from these companies and some others.

The two electric/gasoline hybrids available today, while quite different in approach, have given the rest of the automotive manufacturers something to think about. Both use an internal combustion engine (ICE) and Panasonic Ni-MH batteries. Both are high tech, ultra low emissions vehicles. Both are starting a quiet, electric-driven revolution.

Honda was first, with the Insight. It went on sale December 1999. As of September, Honda had sold about 2,000 Insights at $20,000 each. This car (see AutoInc.'s July cover) is a 3-cylinder, 1.0 liter V-TEC ICE mated to a 5-speed transmission with an electric motor sandwiched in between. The motor is rated at 10kw and is part of the flywheel.

The power to run the electric assist brushless DC motor comes from a 144-volt battery pack: 122 1.2 volts D cell batteries housed in the rear of the car. The batteries never need an outside charge because they are charged through the braking system while you drive. The electric motor doubles as a generator and converts the heat energy wasted in braking to electricity. When you are coming to a stop, in most cases the ICE shuts off at 19 mph and you coast to a stop, which saves fuel and lowers total emissions.

It has electric power steering from the Acura NSX and a large brake booster so you don't need the engine running when stopped. When you want to go, the computer automatically starts the ICE via the electric flywheel. The Honda Insight gets 55 to 60 mpg in the city and 70 to 75 mpg on the highway. Its all-aluminum, two-passenger, hatchback body keeps the total weight under 1,900 pounds. It stores N0x when the mixture is lean and releases it when the mixture goes rich. This car is a good example of what we can do with today's technology.

The Toyota Prius has been available in Japan for three years. Originally designed for Japan and modified for the United States, it is aimed at families that need a 4-passenger car and have $20,000 to spend. It has a 4-cylinder, 1.5 ICE mated to a CVT transmission. The electric motor is big and powerful at 33 kw. It has 274 volts and the electric motor can drive the car independent of the ICE at low speeds. You start accelerating on electric only and the ICE kicks in somewhere between 5 and 28 mph. Both the ICE and the electric motor can drive the front wheels alone or together. The power can also be split to power up the batteries if they get low.

This car never needs to be plugged in and generates power for the batteries when braking. The body is a conventional, steel, 4-door sedan and has all the features you need. Gas mileage is about 50 mpg in the city and 45 mpg on the highway. When stuck in gridlock this car has no pollution at all.

Both of these cars are being sold at dealerships already. The two cars should not be compared, although I am sure they will. The Japanese have taught us many lessons about automobile manufacturing, good design and clean engines. Looks as though the future is here. Both designs work well, both will have their place in history and both will change the way we fix, diagnose and maintain cars. Although there may not be as much work (they still have an ICE) to do on these new hybrids, it is what the world needs to solve some of the problems that cars have created.

Can the aftermarket stay up with these designs? Of course we can; it is only more computers, different batteries, same ICE and more trouble codes. These hybrids are easy to work on, easy to maintain and if you are fixing today's cars, well, this is just the next step. Get familiar soon, as they will be heading your way for service.

Craig Van Batenburg, AAM, owns Van Batenburg's Garage Inc. in Worcester, Mass. He holds a master level, L1 technician certification. He is also on the faculty of the Automotive Management Institute and owns the Automotive Career Development Center. Van Batenburg teaches emission repair as part of the Massachusetts vehicle emissions inspection program. He has already added hybrid technology to his Honda-specific training modules.

RATE THIS ARTICLE What do you think of this article? Your input will help AutoInc. develop additional articles on this subject. Share your thoughts! Your name Your e-mail address

MOST ACCESSED ARTICLES Fuel Injection Service, Not Just Cleaning The Art of Extraction EGR Systems: Operation and Diagnosis Proactive Target Marketing:_Rethinking Your Business Strategy Engine Performance: HO2S Diagnostics MOST E-MAILED ARTICLES Developing Employee Potential How Critical Thinking Can Help Your Business How to Diagnose the Ford Glow Plug What to Look for When Shopping for the Right Shop Management Software Putting a Price Tag on Complaints

AutoInc. Web Site | ASA Web Site | NHTSA's Response: Caution, Disinterest or Funding | OBD II - 2000 and Beyond | It's Not Easy Being Green | Distance Education | Presidential Election 2000 | Guest Editorial | Tech to Tech | Tech Tips | Shop Profile | Net Worth | Stat Corner | Chairman's Message