Jeremy Clarkson reviews the Honda Insight

[RacingManiac]

Don't Buy That New Prius! Test-Drive a Used Car Instead

[Kitdy]

If you are like my parents and drive your cars into the ground then 160k km is not that much. Of course, as time goes on, more efficient practises will likely be taken in producing the car as well. I'm not a fan of electric cars anyways - not until they can get good performance and be cheaper. But for now, if this study is to believed (it is only one study) then a Prius makes some sense if you drive it for high mileages. Electric cars will make more sense as the power grids in the world shift to greener and more renewable power generation. As for others that think hydrogen is the way forward, I'm not sure as I don't know the technology behind that stuff really.

[fisetdavid26]

If you are like my parents and drive your cars into the ground then 160k km is not that much. Of course, as time goes on, more efficient practises will likely be taken in producing the car as well. I'm not a fan of electric cars anyways - not until they can get good performance and be cheaper. But for now, if this study is to believed (it is only one study) then a Prius makes some sense if you drive it for high mileages. Electric cars will make more sense as the power grids in the world shift to greener and more renewable power generation. As for others that think hydrogen is the way forward, I'm not sure as I don't know the technology behind that stuff really.

I admit I'm very ignorant in the eco-friendly car domain, don't flame me, however the FCX Clarity seems to work very well. So... for me hydrogen IS the future.

[Ferrer]

I admit I'm very ignorant in the eco-friendly car domain, don't flame me, however the FCX Clarity seems to work very well. So... for me hydrogen IS the future.

Not until we have a viable infrastrcutre for refuelling though.

[fisetdavid26]

Not until we have a viable infrastrcutre for refuelling though.

California took the time to install one.

[Rockefella]

California took the time to install one.

I have a feeling there'll be viable urban hydro-infrastructure by 2016.

[LeonOfTheDead]

If you are like my parents and drive your cars into the ground then 160k km is not that much. Of course, as time goes on, more efficient practises will likely be taken in producing the car as well. I'm not a fan of electric cars anyways - not until they can get good performance and be cheaper. But for now, if this study is to believed (it is only one study) then a Prius makes some sense if you drive it for high mileages. Electric cars will make more sense as the power grids in the world shift to greener and more renewable power generation. As for others that think hydrogen is the way forward, I'm not sure as I don't know the technology behind that stuff really.

I admit I'm very ignorant in the eco-friendly car domain, don't flame me, however the FCX Clarity seems to work very well. So... for me hydrogen IS the future.

Hydrogen cars work really well, even when hydrogen is used as a fuel (BMW).
Unfortunately they are freaking expensive too, iirc an FCX is worth about 150.000 $ each despite being leased at 750 $ a month (right?).
Hydrogen is a bit difficult to store, as the tank for safety purpose release it completely after 3 days if not utilized. It's expensive to distribute, with hydrogen stations being much more expensive. And considering methods of producing hydrogen on board, is even more complicated.

I'm afraid electric car will be the future, trough plug-in hybrids mainly.

[Rockefella]

Hydrogen cars work really well, even when hydrogen is used as a fuel (BMW).
Unfortunately they are freaking expensive too, iirc an FCX is worth about 150.000 $ each despite being leased at 750 $ a month (right?).
Hydrogen is a bit difficult to store, as the tank for safety purpose release it completely after 3 days if not utilized. It's expensive to distribute, with hydrogen stations being much more expensive. And considering methods of producing hydrogen on board, is even more complicated.

I'm afraid electric car will be the future, trough plug-in hybrids mainly.

The overhead on designing and engineering new technologies has a lot to do with that though.

[LeonOfTheDead]

The overhead on designing and engineering new technologies has a lot to do with that though.

with the price?
Don't know. Fuell cell prototypes cost about 300/400.000 € using an existing car like an A-Klasse as the starting point, while a hybrid or electric prototype would cost...don't know, 100.000 €?!
I don't see new or so-expensive parts on hybrids and electric cars, while a fuel cell car is a completely different thing.

[f6fhellcat13]

with the price?
Don't know. Fuell cell prototypes cost about 300/400.000 € using an existing car like an A-Klasse as the starting point, while a hybrid or electric prototype would cost...don't know, 100.000 €?!
I don't see new or so-expensive parts on hybrids and electric cars, while a fuel cell car is a completely different thing.

I know this is not something that will make it a more effective business model, but it is something, from an engineering point of view, that intrigues me:
I like the idea of hydrogen cars more because tey offers a clean slate to the designers and engineers and allows them to make something wholly new that will be the better for it. I know it is hard to overcome an entrenched industry, and the car industry is moving to cover all their bases, but I think a bottom-up transportation module would be refreshing.

[LeonOfTheDead]

I know this is not something that will make it a more effective business model, but it is something, from an engineering point of view, that intrigues me:
I like the idea of hydrogen cars more because tey offers a clean slate to the designers and engineers and allows them to make something wholly new that will be the better for it. I know it is hard to overcome an entrenched industry, and the car industry is moving to cover all their bases, but I think a bottom-up transportation module would be refreshing.

I think an electric car is better for the engineering pint of view.
Perhaps you are considering only the powertrain point of view, and it would be correct. Electric motors are freaking boring.
But they are much much smaller than anything else, and you can free a lot of space on the car to use for roomier cars, smaller ones, lighter cars, and so on.
Take the Fisker Karma, and look at how low the central part is, thanks to the lack of a shaft or anything mechanical crossing the car.
I suspect even the central tunnel could have been made smaller.

That's the same reason why the mate working now at Maserati prefers them to Ferraris. being made of aluminum (chassis) they also are bigger with ticker parts, while Maseratis have more free spaces here and there for auxiliaries and other parts to fit, thanks to the steel frame.

[DesmoRob]

that doesn't make his reviews good.
As a show, it's really entertaining, but as a automobile program it has some good points hidden behind sarcasm, hyperboles and pointless tests, but the way they are presented makes them impossible to see /understand for the average public, therefore its content is taken as gold and holy truth, and that's why I don't like it anymore.

You bring up a good point. If I had to put myself into the shoes of someone that doesn't understand or know anything about cars, TopGear would seem strange and not very informative. To the average consumer, the number of cup holders and the volume of trunk space are far more important than the greatest possible G forces a car can muster through a corner anyway. That said, I don't think people really treat TopGear as a resource for when they go to buy a car. Unless they are young millionaires that want to see what they'd look the best in. Its like you said, its really entertaining as a show, and I think that's how people have to see it. The things said and done really can't be taken seriously. If that were the case, I would've wrote them off the first time Clarkson called the 911 a Beetle. Its too bad you don't enjoy it anymore, I still think its great fun to watch.

[cmcpokey]

California took the time to install one.

there are 26 active stations. i would hardly call that an infrastructure.

[fisetdavid26]

there are 26 active stations. i would hardly call that an infrastructure.

Maybe not, but that's 26 more than just about anywhere else in the world.

[clutch-monkey]

there are 26 active stations. i would hardly call that an infrastructure.

imagine trying to plan any driving where you leave your known area. or an interstate journey..