thankyou for the great details. I would like to know what are the driving skills required in order to maintain the battery shell life ?

but what i heard, in second phase for second gen HCH got cruise control and navigator. but still don't know the price would be same. i think it may go up for about 5 or 6K.

HCH got cruise control or not? HCH brochure (from Honda Malaysia website) mention nothing about it but I noticed from the picture in the same brochure, got buttons at the right side of the steering wheel. Upon zooming in, i suppose it was a cruise control buttons (same cruise control button as Civic 2.0 if I'm not mistaken). From the same brochure also, got another button below the cruise control button..I wonder that button is for what function…

Thank you very much for your detailed explanation. I am now very clear about the hybrid. I may be a hybrid owner early next year!

But, small CC engine have less power of acceleration plus big body size. CIVIC concept is it never being built underpower… thats the main reason, battery or IMA is integrating with the engine to supply addition power during acceleration. When IMA is activing, 1.3L is now same with 1.8L engine.

In easy say, the battery only kick in when computer detect HCH need more power to help 1.3L engine. But when you achieve optimum speed, the car only RUN on engine, will IMA turn mode into micro charging. So at this time, battery not helping engine.

Like i said, HCH engine is such a great engine. It has been built with a lot of new technology such CVT, i-DSI, i-VTEC and VCM (Variable Cylinder Management). At optimum speed, City run with engine 1.5L while HCH run with 1.3L. That's HCH hve high FC. And, HCH can be run using 1,2 or 4 cylinder while City maintain run using 4 cylinder everytime.

But, HCH still can run using battery solely at 40-45km/h. Why at this speed? Because it is the optimum speed for IMA and also not to damage the IMA. It is reasonable speed for traffic jamm.

About the battery, you search in internet the first produce of HCH was 10 years ago. Still today, the battery can function well without any problem. Actually, number state battery have shell life 3, 5 and 10 years is probably about the warranty not its actual shell life.

You can search also how the battery is make. It produce from metal-hydride which have a long shell life and not less than 10 years shell life. From information i get, when the battery is charging and using as normal, it will still remain same as long as it being used.

Meaning that, you need to make sure that HCH is function well, go for maintaining at the right time and drive using hybrid technique. If you keep drive HCH like normal car, it will reduce the engine and battery shell life.

Thanks for your technical explanation, which I really enjoy. I understand better when facts are put across rather than the "simply say" approach. Now that you tell me that 32km/l is actually achievable, I am more inclined to get the hybrid, as opposed to buying the 1.8 which consumes about 14.7km/l as stated in brochure.

In your explanation, what I still don't get is where and when does the battery kick in to replace fuel? I know City has CVT but it doesn't run 32km on 1 litre, so the battery of the hybrid has got to be helping with generating the torque (power). I believe at 80km/h, fuel intake is at its minimal because like you explained, AF=RF, and the battery is used to generate most of the torque (power). I am not a trained Honda engineer so I am just guessing based on my little engineering background.

One last question, my friend advised me NOT to buy hybrid because of its battery life, which he says is only about 3-5 yrs! Is that true? And I heard from the salesman the battery costs about RM12k, is that true? RM12k for 3-5 yrs is not economic. I am trying to go green here, but it must make good economic sense!

If AF > RF, fuel will use a lot, while AF < RF, car move slower. When AF = RF, fuel will used at optimum usage. To get this optimum threshold, HCH and any cars must run between 80 to 90 km/h depend on car's weight, type of tires, road condition and weather condition.

What I have been observed, optimum speed for HCH is between 80 – 85 km/h because it has large weight. While for other more light car, it can go up to 90km/h.

Don't be confuse, at optimum speed, HCH still using fuel but with a very small amount. Without fuel the car can't move forward. Special with HCH is it has a wide of VTC which affect a little bit gear ratio changing although the fuel pedal is press a quick lot. So you can control fuel usage for stable and efficient than other car.

Thanks for your valuable feedback. And wow! You mean you actually clocked 32km/l and it is not a fictitious number than Honda printed on its brochure to make it look more attractive?!

OK, so anything above 80km/h will drastically reduce the fuel efficiency from the nominal (maximal) 31.7km/l. Does that mean the cruising speed of 80km/h is the threshold where the car runs predominantly on electricity, and speeds above that will then require the fuel to "kick in" to provide that extra torque / boost?

In US the normal speed they drive between 80-90 miles/h which when you convert to km/h is around 128-144 km/h. That is main reason 40 for city and 45 for highway comes out.

In Malaysia, statistic shows average speed for driving at city is around 80-90 and highway around 100-110km/h. I have try driving at 100km/h (RPM 2) give FC up to 22km/l, while driving at 80km/h (RPM 1.5) give 32km/l.

Question: Am I wrong with my conversion? If not, then is there some differences between Malaysian hybrid and US hybrid (Civic)?

Honda Civic Hybrid is design with a lot of new technology for its engine. Why? Here you will gets with HCH:

1.) 3 cam profiles engine, (high mode, low mode and idle mode) while 2.0 and 1.8 civic only have 2 cam profiles only.

2.) i-DSI engine to increase fuel efficiency which have 8 spark plugs (2 for each cylinder) to gets a FULL fuel combustion. If you buy Ferrari also they still use 1 spark plug for each cylinder.

3.) VCM, Variable Cylinder Management WHICH you only get in Accord 3.6.. its not Accord 2.0 or 2.4.

4.) i-VTEC cam profiles engines, the latest engine tech from Honda

5.) Electronic Power Steering, only available in Accord 2.4 and 3.6.

6.) Intergrated Motor Assist, only hybrid is having this feature.

So, if you want to compare engine 1.3 against 2.0, please considered of having technology above also. Having HCH is not focus to the engine power but its technology. Theres a lot of way to increase your car performance and power, but can somebody list out the way to increase fuel efficiency in the manner with the cost to archieve 40/45mpg compared to HCH.

Thanks.

Thanks for that thought.

Appreciate it.

Example:

Price in USD = 26,000 (Prius IV) – from US page.

50% excise duty = 1.5 x 26,000 = 39,000 (USD)

10 % sales tax = 1.1 x 39,000 = 42,900 (USD)

Car Price + Tax Only (RM) = 42,900 x 3.6 = 154,440 (RM)

If I take RM 170,000 – RM 154,440 = 15,560 (RM).

Now what in the world would contribute RM 15,560 extra to effect the price to RM170,000 or more ????? Processing fee, handling fee, insurance fee, custom fee, delivery fee, transportation fee, paperwork fee, cargo fee, 'others' tax, etc… Now what other fees or 'other' taxes did I miss………..hmmmm

This is just a rough estimate but I could be wrong on the tax and all. Will know exactly the price and misc fees once Toyota launches the model.

But make sure it is low price, dun think this happen in here….dream on…

I think Toyata Prius is sold at USD24k…

It is still darn expensive even with all the tax cuts and all for hybrid cars.

So what is the point of the tax cuts then? It is rather pathethic, extremely pathetic.

whoops.. forgot we have crap diesel quality. oh well.. malaysia boleh