Honda Environmental Technology Advances with Honda Accord Hybrid and Honda Fuel Cell Stack

Employing Variable Cylinder Management technology (VCM), Honda Accord Hybrid is the first hybrid vehicle to deactivate three of its engine's six cylinders in certain conditions like highway cruising for greater fuel efficiency without affecting its performance.

The new 2005 V6 Accord Hybrid integrates the fuel economy of a four cylinder compact Civic and high-level performance.
Combining VCM with Honda's Integrated Motor Assist hybrid technology, Honda Insight and Civic Hybrid captured four of the top five slots in the EPA 2004 fuel economy ratings. In 2005, Honda-developed fuel cell stack featuring increased performance and fuel efficiency, reduced cost and the capability to start in below freezing temperatures.

Leading the pioneering efforts for the development and application of leading edge environmental technologies including the first Low Emissions (LEV) and Ultra-Low Emissions (ULEV) vehicles and the first commercially certified fuel cell vehicle, Honda now again has proven its innovative ideas.

FCX fuel vehicle powered by the Honda FC stack is the realization of Honda's long held effort of hydrogen-powered vehicles. The Honda FCX then on its launching will be the first and only fuel cell vehicle certified by the EPA and California Air Resources Board for regular commercial use.

Starting and operating a vehicle in cold weather and freezing temperatures is a daunting technical barrier to the mass-market application of fuel cell technology. Honda's answer to this problem is the Fuel Cell stack with its newly developed electrolyte membranes and stamped metal separator structure for improved efficiency, recycle ability, and operation over a greater range of temperatures.

Prior to the FC stack's introduction in the Honda FCX, public road evaluations in the U.S and Japan is on going.

By Jenny McLane.

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Hybrid Technology Develops as the 2005 Honda Accord Hybrid

The company that popularizes the hybrid technology is producing the better hybrid vehicles year after year. Although Toyota starts the technology to their Prius in 1997, Honda produces, develops, and uses the technology continuously to their cars. Honda’s first hybrid car, the Honda Insight was released in the United States in 1999. This was soon followed by the Honda Civic which marked the radical change in the hybrid technology and changed the way people’s to a car.

Hybrid cars use the combination of technologies such as internal combustion engines (ICEs), electric motors, batteries, hydrogen, and fuel cells. This saves a lot of gas fuel that becomes the preference of car buyers.

The hybrid technology improves year after year as Honda’s hybrid vehicles become popular. Then, the 2005 Honda Accord Hybrid is by far the best Honda hybrid, or hybrid vehicle in the market.

A 3.0l V-6 engine of the Accord is the biggest among its class. It is the first hybrid that can match or even surpass other gas-engine vehicles. With 255 horses pushing it, the Accord is the most economical V-6 vehicle.

The 2005 Honda Accord Hybrid drives like the conventional gas-engine powered vehicle. And without the “hybrid” badges on the vehicle, you wouldn’t know the difference.

This Accord uses the same automatic transmission like that of the gas-engine instead of the continuously variable transmission (CVT), Toyota and Ford uses to their hybrid. Its so the IMA or the integrated motor assist which always at the gas mode and kick to electric for additional power when needed, unlike Ford and Toyota which uses the electric as long as possible then switch to gas when needed.

Fuel economy is not a question for the Honda Accord Hybrid. With 37 mpg fuel consumption on highway and 29 mpg in city, the Accord allows driver to save more money. Accord doesn’t need to be plugged in. It automatically recharge itself during braking and, if necessary, via the gas engine. To save more fuel, both systems automatically shuts off at stoplight and long stops.

The only backslash of the 2005 Honda Accord Hybrid is its price tag of about $30,000 which is $3,400 more that its gas model. But for a vehicle that saves more fuel the regular vehicle, it is a better buy in the long run.

By Jenny McLane.