The two-passenger hybrid has a 1.5-liter i-VTEC 4-cylinder engine with a 10 kW Integrated Motor Assist (IMA) system to supply power and efficiency.
The CR-Z is the sixth version of Honda's original IMA technology since the launch of the 2000 Insight, the first hybrid vehicle commercially available in North America.
The electric motor assists in acceleration and acts as a generator during braking or coasting to capture kinetic energy that can recharge the 100.8-volt IMA nickel-metal hydride battery pack. The i-VTEC system controls the opening and closing of one intake valve per cylinder to enhance combustion at low engine speeds.
The CR-Z's 6-speed manual transmission is a first for a mass-produced hybrid vehicle, according to Honda. The car's 3-mode drive system allows for Sport, Normal or Econ (Economy) driving modes. The Econ mode is designed to smooth throttle inputs, reduce the air conditioning system's impact on fuel consumption, and potentially activate idle stop sooner when coming to a stop, which is helpful in stop-and-go city driving. See the Honda press release and the CR-Z Web site.
University of Michigan Wins American Solar Challenge
On June 26, the University of Michigan won, for the sixth time, the 1,200-mile 2010 American Solar Challenge, which ran from Broken Arrow, Oklahoma to Naperville, Illinois. They crossed the finish line in 28 hours and 14 minutes.
17 teams, including two teams from Canada and Taiwan, competed. Students designed and built the solar-powered vehicles, which included battery backup for cloudy days. Michigan's car weighs 700 pounds - its carbon fiber body is covered by Emcore solar cells and the solar-generated electricity is stored in A123 lithium-ion-phosphate batteries to help power an in-wheel electric motor.
Previously known as Sunrayce, the American Solar Challenge is sponsored by the Innovators Educational Foundation, a non-profit organization formed in the fall of 2009 to continue the solar car racing tradition begun in 1993. IEF also hosts the Formula Sun Grand Prix, a solar car track event. See the American Solar Challenge Web site and the Michigan solar car team Web site.
There's also a high-profile race for high school teams. The Hunt-Winston School Solar Car Challenge runs from July 18-25 starting in Fort Worth, Texas and ending in Boulder, Colorado. See the Hunt-Winston School Solar Car Challenge Web site.
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EREE Network News is a weekly publication of the U.S. Department of Energy's Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy (EERE).
