World's Only Diesel-Electric Honda Insight 687
Jake Staub writes "Just replaced the gasoline engine in a Honda Insight with a Diesel engine. On a 3,000 mile cross-country shakedown journey the car averaged 92mpg over 1,800 miles. Around a very hilly town in Northwest Washington, the car is averaging 78mpg. These mileage averages are without the electric side of the vehicle fully functional. With a bit more tinkering on the electric side and through a slight gearing change through tire size, it is anticipated that the car will likely average 100mpg. The build for the car has been documented on the web site and is as close to open source as my time allows. The car was built by two guys in a garage in Southern Maryland. If we can do it I don't see any reason why major auto manufacturers can't do it since we used their parts."
Something's wrong with this idea (Score:5, Funny)
The black helicopters need to be sent in here. Gas Mileage like that is un-American. Before you know it, the schematics for the water-car will get out.
Today on mutual of slashomaha... (Score:5, Funny)
(whisper)When it comes to cars, the slashdotter species generally has absolutely NO idea what it is talking about. Shhhh. Here comes the posters now. Let's watch quietly as they trot out the same old ignorant meme's about hybrids, electrics and diesels.(/whisper)
Please pay your taxes in full (Score:5, Funny)
By using less fuel you are shifting the tax burden onto those who cannot afford a high tech vehicle. We should expect owners of hybrids, electric cars and high efficiency vehicles to pay their fair share if they can't manage to pay their road tax through fuel purchases. Perhaps you people should be required to keep a log of your travel distances and cut a check when you renew your state registration based on your mileage.
Re:MPG no longer relevant (Score:5, Funny)
That's right. MP4 took over.
Re:Gutless? (Score:5, Funny)
Heck simple truth was all cars in the US in the 70s where pretty gutless.
Okay, this is more about aerodynamics than being gutless but whatever...
I had a 76 Ford Pinto when I was a teenager. My friend and I were on our way up to White Pass to go skiing when some guy in a Dodge Charger goes flying around us at ~ 90mph on a blind curve. Fortunately no one was coming the other way, but a cop was sitting right there. He pulls the guy over, then (as I drove by) flagged me down as well. The cop walks up to me and says "I have the two of you doing 90+ on this mountain road", to which I replied with the truth - I'd been passed on a curve, and may have been right behind the Charger but was not going that fast (probably 55-60, which was within the limit). He give me one of those "I've heard THAT before" looks, so I followed up with "Have you ever been in a Ford Pinto going over 65mph? The thing shakes so hard it'd probably start to fall apart pretty fast".
He laughed and let me go.
Re:Gutless? (Score:4, Funny)
> So no, they're not gutless. If you can get an S70 made before '98 you're in for a happy surprise too.
Like being in a car that's wrapped around a tree?