Honda will launch a concept version of its new small hybrid vehicle, to be named Insight, at the 2008 Paris Motor Show on October 2. The five passenger Honda Insight Hybrid will be built on an entirely new platform and be smaller than the Civic Hybrid and use styling cues from the Honda FCX Clarity hydrogen cell car.The Insight is a mix of fancy and not. You get heated and cooled seats, a voice-control navigation system, satellite radio, one-touch operation on all four windows, high-intensity headlights, and a system that warns if a collision is likely and hits the brakes if you don’t. The Honda Insight is likely to be powered by the 1.4-litre petrol engine and electric motor seen in the Civic Hybrid which will develop around 115bhp.
When operating at low speeds, the Insight will work entirely on battery power ensuring zero emissions and at higher speeds a combination of brake energy and acceleration will help re-charge the Insight’s hybrid battery. The Insight Concept defines a new stage in the evolution of hybrid technology by utilizing a more cost-efficient version of Honda’s Integrated Motor Assist hybrid technology, resulting in a new level of affordability for hybrid customers worldwide.
