Jazz/Fit Hybrid - official

[guest334]

Here it is at last from HJ website link here
http://www.honestjohn.co.uk/news/new-models/2010-08/honda-to-launch-hybrid-jazz

edit by Admin 26 Aug 2010: Hybrid discussion split from "Honda Jazz 2011 - any news on spec?" topic.
Original topic can be found here:
http://clubjazz.org/forum/jazz-ge-2009/honda-jazz-2011-any-news-available-on-the-spec/

[eljuero]

[Berisford]

Well, I'll be................I've just ordered a Golf!

Honda have kept us hanging too long.

[guest334]

Well we can see the car but its the wrong engine and UK dealers will expect drivers to pay a premium to own one, with unleaded at £6.00 per gallon in Jan 2011

so the sales will be poor flat good or

[guest150]

Some info just released about the forthcoming Hybrid model. Apparently it will be launched at next months Paris motor show.

http://www.autoblog.com/2010/08/25/honda-jazz-hybrid-officially-confirmed-but-not-for-u-s/

[culzean]

Will the Jazz / Fit Hybrid use the 1.3 litre 8 valve twin spark I-DSi engine?
Same one as used in the Jazz GD and new Insight Hybrid ??

[guest1128]

No, it must be a 1.3 l SOHC i-VTEC petrol engine says wiki
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Honda_Insight

[RichardA]

It will be interesting to see how much Honda will charge.

Is the hybrid going to be made at Swindon?

edit: news story here:
http://clubjazz.org/forum/honda-news-79/honda-launches-jazz-hybrid/

[culzean]

If the engine is the 1.3 litre 87 bhp unit from the Insight then it will be the 1.3 GD I-DSI engine, not the 110 bhp I-VTEC from GE.  The Honda website says the Insight engine is 87 bhp, 88Nm with 10.8:1 compression and 2 valves per cylinder which is definitely the I-DSI.

Honda also use the I-DSi for their large outboard motor engine - so they must be ultra-confident of it's reliability, especially with twin spark plugs per cylinder.

I drive a GD and have no problem with this engine, although people say it runs out of breath over 4000rpm there is normally no reason to go there! Below that it figure it runs like a small diesel and actually makes you lazy on gear-changes because it is so relaxing and tractable.

[guest334]

Yes but what will Honda Uk price the hybrid at ?
I reckon £15.4k ie too expensive premium over 1.3l manual models

Any other takers for a who gets nearest ?

[guest1513]

Re Culzeans comments, I've managed to dig out a bit more info on the engine for the Insight, assuming the Jazz Hybrid installation is the same. I was puzzled why the engine was described in some places as an i-Vtec engine.  It turns out Honda are indeed using the i-DSI cylinder head, but also adapted the i-VTEC system to shut all valves during low load cruising and coast mode - Variable Cylinder Management (VCM).  As a result the INSIGHT can drive on electric motor only, if driven with a constant speed between 15 and 45 km/h. All valves are shut, the pumping loss is reduced and the recuperation capabilities optimised during coast mode.  Presumably the CR-Z uses the i-Vtec system in its usual role of altering the cam profile, so maybe that explains why it doesn't have the electric motor only mode. 

[culzean]

Be wary of hybrids unless if you have to travel into London regularly, have a very guilty conscience or money to waste. You may end up with TSS (terminal smugness syndrome) like most Prius drivers - who are persuaded to buy them because of reduction of road tax and exemption from London congestion charges which could save about £6K per year.

But for most of us who don't have to go into London (thank god) - At an average mileage if 10K per year at 50mpg and £5.50 per gallon it will cost you £1100 in fuel, at 60mpg it would cost £920 in fuel (<£4 per week less). Looking at it like that, the premium that you pay for a Hybrid doesn't stack up very well. And as for greater residuals etc. who is going to buy a 3 or 4 year old hybrid with future battery renewal hanging over them (very expensive).

In 1.4 GD I can get a true 55mpg in summer (less in winter) by driving reasonably and see no reason to pay loads extra to get a small increase in 'real world' (compared to manufacturers inflated figures) mpg.

[RichardA]

I can't help thinking how much better hybrids would be if they were (generally) available with a manual gearbox instead of CVT. I had a Civic hybrid courtesy car when I took my Jazz in for a service and it spent a fair amount of time in a higher rev band then what I would in my (manual) Jazz.....unless it was down to my limited experience with automatics.

[guest334]

Inside the Honda HQ the pressure is on to reduce emissions at all costs, hence the industry focus on HYbrids , when all the average consumer wants is a 60 mpg 60 mph reliable 4 seater Honda for under £9k.
So get on with it Honda

[guest1408]

I think it is somewhat selfish to be considering this in just short term financial gain - I had my last two cars converted to LPg because I believed it was better for emissions.  However hybrid cars offer an even cleaner solution and I think this is good enough a reason to consider one. I would have had the Jazz converted to LPG but I would have lost too much of the load space.

What I dont understand is why manufacturers are not being offered some incentive to switch towards hybrid on the understanding that they will not slap a demand premium on the price.  If they were manufactured in the same numbers as their petrol only cousins I very much doubt there would need to be such a huge price difference -I know that it is unfashionable to subsadize private businesses but its catch 22 and without some government incentive it will never take off because the initial price of the vehicles will prevent demand from increasing fast enough for a commercial company.  I reckon an additional £1000 (what I paid for gas conversion) is probably about the most that people will want to pay for a hybrid.

Replacing the batteries of course is a concern as is the recyclability of them. Maybe some kind of recycling/replacement scheme needs to be introduced. I have never been in the new car purchase bracket so guess I am in any event waiting until about 2013 when my current Jazz might be due for a replacement