Honda IMA Hybrid for Less in Europe

2011 Jazz Hybrid to Debut in Paris

Honda is debuting the Jazz Hybrid at the Paris Auto Show. Due out as a 2011 model, the newest IMA hybrid is built using the Honda hybrid system used in the sporty CR-Z hybrid and Insight.

The Jazz hybrid will still have the same interior space, despite the addition of the electric motor and battery pack. The control unit and battery have been placed under the boot floor. The 'Magic Seats' still fold entirely flat to increase the cubic space inside, or can be folded to sit vertically, allowing for taller items to be transported.

Honda testing has shown the 1.3 litre i-VTEC engine has similar emissions at 104 g/km as the Honda Insight. At low speeds, the Jazz hybrid can run at all electric. Combined fuel efficiency is being estimated at 4.4 l/100km.

Kelley Blue Books Says Now is the Best Time to Buy a Used Hybrid

Kelley Blue Book (KBB) says now may be the best time ever to buy a used hybrid. That is, if your intent is to reduce emissions and greenhouse gases, but not necessarily if you want savings at the pump.

Used hybrid car prices have started to normalize, as consumers have more choices than ever. That means the appreciation of comparable segments have outpaced hybrid cars in the past year.

New hybrid sales are down (mostly due to the spike from the Cash for Clunkers program) and values have leveled off. Along with steady gas prices (higher gas prices mean more hybrids sold), more cars are getting 40+ mpg. That means there is more competition in the fuel efficient segment.

Put it all together and you get a good time to buy a used hybrid, although not necessarily if you're looking to buy a Prius (see below).  And consumers may be catching on.  Monthly traffic at Kelley Blue Book has increased by 10-20 percent.

"If shoppers are convinced to buy a hybrid today, they should keep in mind that it can take upwards of 10 years to recover the premium paid for a hybrid versus a comparable non-hybrid alternative (based on $3 per gallon fuel prices and 12,000 miles driven per year)," said Juan Flores, director of vehicle valuations for Kelley Blue Book. "For those consumers considering a hybrid purchase purely to save money, they must consider how long they intend to hold the vehicle."

KBB points out that the hybrid premium can take years to 'pay off'.

According to their analysis, "If a consumer were to consider a new vehicle, the time needed to recoup the hybrid premium is more than 10 years. A driver would have to rack up 160,000 miles on a Prius, or more than 190,000 miles on a Civic Hybrid, before simply breaking even on their hybrid purchase! If a consumer were wise enough to purchase a used hybrid vehicle, the time needed to break-even falls substantially. For the Civic Hybrid, the break-even point is realized just shy of five years down the road as opposed to the sixteen years required for a new purchase. This would require only 57,600 miles to be driven before the hybrid premium was recovered. This seems quite reasonable and this kind of mileage should be easily handled by the Civic. For those in the market for a hybrid vehicle, Kelley Blue Book's best recommendation is to consider buying a used vehicle first."

When buying used, consumers should consider purchasing the hybrid alternative of an existing nameplate as opposed to an all-hybrid vehicle like the Prius, since it takes twice as long to recover the hybrid premium for a Prius as opposed to a Honda Civic Hybrid in the used market. Over time, the Prius has acquired a large following that has lead to what is called a "Prius Premium," in addition to the already costly hybrid premium. By sticking to a hybrid vehicle built off an existing platform (Civic Hybrid, Fusion Hybrid, etc.) a consumer has a far better chance of coming out ahead on the purchase of a hybrid vehicle.

Toyota Outlines Plans for Future Hybrid Development

Toyota has ambitious plans when it comes to hybrid and other alternative cars. By 2012, they will launch the plug-in Prius and a hydrogen fuel cell vehicle by 2015. Along with those more exotic introductions, they will also launch six new hybrids by the end of 2012.

Toyota is aiming for 20,000 plug-in sales in the first year, with a cost of $3,000 - $5,000 more than a Prius.

Four of the new hybrid vehicles will be Toyota and two will have Lexus branding.

Toyota continues to focus on hybrids because they are more cost and range effective than pure electric cars according to Mr. Uchiyamada, vice president of Toyota’s research and development.

“Based on the current battery tech, it is not feasible to have full electric vehicles to be the main way now,” he told reporters, through a translator, during a visit to Detroit. “There will be a period of time where plug-in hybrid vehicles will be used heavily. As battery technology gets better, there will be a transition to pure electric vehicles.”

Report Card for Cars, What Grade Will Your Car Get?

New Fuel Economy Sticker for Plug-in Hybrid Electric Vehicles

The EPA and DOT are working together to create a new fuel economy sticker to be placed on new cars. They have proposed two different labels, which while different, are both designed to let the buyer know just what kind of car they are buying.

The first label gives a letter grade to the car, based on its fuel economy. Electric cars would get A+ ratings, while no van would get over a C+. Plug-in hybrid vehicles would fall in the A- range.

The second label focuses in on the miles per gallon and the estimated fuel costs. This allows for greater comparison between vehicles, especially given the big differences that are happening with new cars.

Both label have MPG and GPM (gallons per 100 miles) ratings along with greenhouse gas emissions. They will also give an estimate of annual fuel costs, plus more information comparing the fuel economy of this car to that of other like vehicles. Smart phone owners will be able to scan in the QRR code and get additional information.

Electric Vehicles Get an A+

The exciting part for those who are following the new types of cars (electric, plug-in hybrid, E-REV, etc...) is the new labeling system. Vehicles like the Volt are supposed to drive for 40 miles or so on all electric power, then go hybrid. After that initial electric range, you need gas to go, so the fuel efficiency figure is important to know.

That type of information will now be found on the sticker. The new sticker is designed to let you know the estimated fuel economy in each different mode (electric, hybrid, or gas-only).

The only problem I have with the new sticker is its emphasis on 'energy consumption measurement' where the energy consumption (in this case, electricity) is in MPGe, or Miles Per Gallon equivalent. That sort of measurement is confusing to people. The KiloWatt hours is shown on the electric vehicles, but not on the plug-in hybrid vehicles. That's less informative than it could be.

2011 Honda Jazz Hybrid

Honda Jazz Hybrid

The 2011 Honda Jazz Hybrid is set to debut at the Paris Auto Show in in September and should arrive in dealers lots early 2011.  The Jazz Hybrid (known as the Honda Fit in Japan and the US) is undergoing a 2011 update and is set to receive the hybrid engine just as the Fit did in Japan.

It's expected to get similar gas mileage as the Insight, since it has the same underpinning as the Insight.  The IMA Hybrid system is the same as the Honda Civic Hybrid and Insight, which means the micro-car can travel for short distances on all electric power, while the electric motor assists the gas engine in other situations.  A start-stop system will turn the gas engine off when you are coming to a stop.

The 1.3 liter four-cylinder gas engine is mated to a CVT gearbox with the electric motor matched on.  The 2011 Hybrid Jazz will have a few distinctive features, including a new grill, blue tinted headlights, a 'tweaked' bumper and clear taillight lenses.  The Honda Fit is the cheapest hybrid available, and the Jazz is expected to follow suit when it goes on sale in Europe.

Toyota Wants to Double Hybrid Sales

Toyota, by far the top seller of hybrid cars, wants to reach 5 million hybrid sales by 2015. That is twice what they've sold so far since 1997.

Toyota released a five year 'environment impact plan' stating they wish to improve their carbon emissions by 25 percent and see a 25% gain in fuel efficiency over their 2005 levels.

To top it off, they want to release a hydrogen-powered fuel cell vehicle by fiscal 2015.

Toyota Test Plug-in Prius at Logan Airport

Toyota has been testing their plug-in Prius (due out in 2012 or so) in various sites and with different customers throughout the world. And now it's Logan Airport in Boston who gets to try one out.

It will only be for two months as Toyota gathers feedback and testing information. Massport officials, who run Logan, will use the "car to drive to meetings, visit construction sites and terminals, and to help with other errands."

That's most likely going to result in really good test results, as the miles driven at any time will most likely be very low, which means less reliance on gasoline and more on the battery pack. Unlike the Chevy Volt, the plug-in Prius is more like a souped up hybrid. It will drive at higher speeds on all battery power for longer time periods, but doesn't rely on just the one power source. The Volt goes for 40 miles (your miles will vary) before the gas engine kicks in. The Prius plug-in may start using the gas engine immediately (or not) depending on your use.