EV 2001 Honda Insight
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It would make a fantastic conversion project being all aluminum! I've always wanted one for an EV performance oriented project as I love the look and the relationship to the honda NSX. Where are you located?
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I think instead of full EV you should upgrade it to plug-in hybrid with a bigger battery and the stock IMA system. There is a guy named Peter Perkins if you search his name or maybe you've heard of him but he's been able to get 40kw from the stock IMA system in the Insight and also CR-Z with ugraded batteries and some mods. If you added a 5ish kwh battery and did the 40kw power mods that would turn it into an amazing little car and should boost the fuel economy.
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Nikki at Transportation Evolved (Youtube) has one she's been threatening to update. She bought it with a GM EV-I electric motor transplanted already. Surprised she hasn't chimed in...
I would agree with the full plug in upgrade but there is also someone on YT with an insight powered by a 5hp predator 212. Using one of these engines with mild performance upgrades and a 20kw water cooled alt from a Hyundai sonata hybrid would give you MASSIVE range increases for 5 gal of fuel and 50lbs of ice generator.
The OEM 1L 3cyl is just too massive in size and weight to justify when that space could be used for 50kWh of lithium and the predator generator for nearly endless range.
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That would be the engine that'll be banned in California for...its emissions?
I don't understand your math. Probably because you didn't do it.
The rated continuous output of a 6.5HP Predator 4000 generator is about 3kW. That's optimistically 15 miles per hour of charge. With a 10 hour noisy-ass runtime, that's 150 miles of range on 5 gallons or $20 worth of gas here where I am.
So, unless you drive 15MPH, and have an air to air refueling probe on the car 😂, how is that endless range?
AND....you can go >6kWhr (0.16/kWhr) per dollar or 30 miles per dollar or 600 miles as a pure electric for that twenty bucks, while leaving that noisy-ass polluting inefficient Chinese garbage on the shelf at Harbor Freight 😈
I don't understand your math. Probably because you didn't do it.
The rated continuous output of a 6.5HP Predator 4000 generator is about 3kW. That's optimistically 15 miles per hour of charge. With a 10 hour noisy-ass runtime, that's 150 miles of range on 5 gallons or $20 worth of gas here where I am.
So, unless you drive 15MPH, and have an air to air refueling probe on the car 😂, how is that endless range?
AND....you can go >6kWhr (0.16/kWhr) per dollar or 30 miles per dollar or 600 miles as a pure electric for that twenty bucks, while leaving that noisy-ass polluting inefficient Chinese garbage on the shelf at Harbor Freight 😈
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A full blown electric conversion would be best. A nice HPEVS AC-50 with the 144v 500amp controller. It is a perfect vehicle for an electric conversion. I have one but it got hit by our truck and damaged the side so it is just going to the wrecking yard.
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Or just buy one already converted and finish the heat and odds/ends
www.insightcentral.net
All Electric 1st gen Insight asking $4K obo
Edit: I need a firm commitment by this weekend 7/24/21 or I’m going to take the parts I want and scrap the rest. First one with a trailer walks away with a great deal. I’d almost give the insight away… Asking 4K for everything obo. Less for just the car, without EV components-make an offer...
www.insightcentral.net
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Hard to build then sell. Most want to convert their own vehicle. I read about this one. Sounds like the same setup that was used by Electro Automotive to convert the Porsche 914 into a VoltsPorsche. I have one of those. I think that kit would be fine in a Honda but the system needs higher voltage than 144 volts. Do you still have this beastie and where are you located?
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Minnesota
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So I own 2 of them and the 2001 has about 340,000miles on it and I hit a deer with it so it needs some body work. My 2003 is my daily driver and might be a good fit for this idea. Thanks, I will check out Peter Perkins
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Is the hood damaged? Where are you located?
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The front is not damaged at all. Im not going to part it out. Im keeping the tires as they are new low rolling resistance tires for electric vehicles. I may decide to replace the IMA battery and continue driving for some time. We shall see. I need another vehicle to drive while I replace the timing belt again for my VW TDI Beetle. I have a bearing going out so need to just replace it all at once. Then I'll drive the TDI for awhile. I like driving the TDI but Im totally for electric. Just wished we hadn't hit our car and damaged it. It was a clean vehicle until then. I drove it for a good year and a half while the wife drove the Nissan Leaf.
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PS, Im in Northern California.
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