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Monday, December 26, 2011

The Improved 2012 Honda Civic Hybrid

By Cody C. Massey


The brand new 2012 Honda Civic Hybrid will now be using a lithium-ion battery and its fuel economy has grown from 41 mpg to 44 mpg. The Civic Hybrid is currently in second-place for gas economy for cars that continue to rely on fossil fuels. This improvement in energy economy makes it greater than the Lexus CT 200h. The Civic Hybrid happens to be the most fuel-efficient sedan that you can find on the US streets and highways, according to Honda.

A new 2012 Civic Hybrid works by using the Integrated Motor Assist, which is the fifth generation hybrid powertrain platform that is made up of a thin, pancake like electronic motor/generator. It only assists the gasoline engine by remaining integrated between the engine and transmission, making it similar to the hybrid systems from Ford and Toyota. The electric motor supports the gas engine however it can be powered by electric on it's own for short distances. During certain situations, the Honda can run on electrical power only but all of the engine parts still move. When the car stops, the engine shuts off like other hybrids.

In addition to the switch to lithium-ion batteries, the 2012 Civic Hybrid incorporates a larger gasoline engine. It presently has a 1.5-liter four-cylinder engine instead of 1.3-liters but the blended horsepower of gas and electric remain the same. The engine works at diminished RPMs because of the larger displacement, which delivers a quieter ride by having the electric motor used more frequently. To obtain ideal performance, every aspect of the hybrid system was tweaked, like the increase of the motor output from 15kw to 20kw. Plastic spacers and widely spaced coils and magnets allow the system to better control the temperature. The horsepower on the motor has been boosted by way of three horsepower to 23 horsepower.

The nickel-metal hydride battery pack has been succeeded by the better 20-kw Li-ion battery, which is 5 kw more and 30% lighter. With the battery's 35% boost in efficiency and the IMA system's greater power, the Civic Hybrid presently has the capability of using only electric motor power more often, in certain times of cruising at low speeds. The car has numerous complaints due to battery failures, so the upgrade to the lithium battery should fix that problem. A steadily variable transmission wraps up the IMA structure. The transmission has a drive pulley and a driven pulley that are connected with a steel belt which is similar to a 10-speed bicycle. It's a combination of a manual transmission and also a conventional geared automatic transmission.

The 2012 Civic Hybrid has unquestionably won its place among the best hybrid cars with its upgraded battery and improved fuel efficiency. It is definitely giving the Prius a run for its money.




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