dragula53

unfortunately, the accord will out-accelerate (at least to 60) the automatic rx-8.

and it will be close vs the 6-speed.

IcemanVKO

I drove a Hybrid, and although they boast alot of HP, they feel about the same with the added weight as the original car before the Hybrid.

So, what you are really saying is that you don't like the fact that the V6 accord has 240 hp.

Even with that HP, its alot heavier, and has crap for handling. Stock vs Stock, the Rx8 would smoke it in any kind of race, even a drag.

About the only thing a Stock Accord V6 could beat an RX8 in, is a race to the Beach with 2 suitcases, and thats only because the Rx8 would have to make two trips. :D

socalightning

I think it might be a 15hp pancake motor sandwiched between the motor and trans (like a flywheel). I think the RX8 could use one of these to boost low end torque as well as fuel economy/range. Don't know about the extra weight of batteries thought - that I wouldn't like. But I believe we will see MANY simplified hybrid systems like this in our automotive future.

MPG > HP

That 15 hp motor also adds 100 ft/lbs of torque at 0 rpms!

jsh1120

Actually, I suspect the Honda Hybrid would acquit itself pretty well in a "race" from, say, Seattle to San Francisco, even without luggage. Factoring in the time required to fill the RX-8's thirsty tank would eliminate much of its advantage.

Honda has apparently done a fine job in combining the extra torque boost of the electric motor with its system of shutting down 3 of the cylinders while cruising and turning the engine off when stopped. Add in the efforts to compensate for the extra weight of the batteries by eliminating weight elsewhere and the Accord Hybrid is a clever approach to squeezing cruising power out of every last drop of fuel. (I believe that the hybrid is only about 150 lbs heavier than a stock Accord despite the penalty of over 300 lbs in batteries, electric motor, etc.) Of course, you can't get a sunroof on the Hybrid (extra weight) and the back seats don't fold (batteries are placed behind the back seat.)

All in all, Honda deserves kudos, imho, for using existing and imaginative technology to reduce reliance on dinosaur juice. The characteristic of the RX-8 I like the least is the feeling that I'm riding with Osama Bin Laden whenever I drive it. I rationalize my lack of consciousness by also driving a Saab 9-5 wagon that consistently gets about 24-28 mpg, but must admit that I'm indulging myself in a way that I can't fully justify in the RX-8.

ssjelite23

Don't feel too bad. I mean, if you feel that way about the 8's gas mileage, imagine how you'd feel with the H2's getting 8mpg's! (or something close to it). Now those are some mean gas guzzlers...

Besides, I think until cars, or the world for that matter, make a significant change to the point that dino juice is rarely needed, i think Bin Laden is riding shotgun with everyone...

Magic8

My thoughts exactly. I also hope that by making mor hybrids there will be more suppliers for the battery pack and motor or the cost of mfg comes down. I pretty sure once this gets popular there will be more research on lighter weight battery packs. I wonder if someone can make an aftermarket kit to retrofit my 8 by the pancake motor.

Aratinga

Oops... I posted a new thread on driving the Hybrid Accord before I saw this one. The Accord does definitely out-accelerate my 6MT. Unlike Mazda, Honda does appear to be accurate with its horsepower figures.

ssjelite23

NOOOO!!!

So even with the extra weight of the batteries, extra motor, etc., the hybrid still out accelerates the 8??? Even the 6mt????? I'm sure many people will say it depends on the driver...although I'm not saying anything about your driving skills Aratinga

I guess technology's starting to catch up in terms of lighter weight for batteries among other things.

Did you test drive one or was someone driving one and tried to "out pace" you?

Aratinga

See my other thread in this forum. My boyfriend works for Honda and has the car for a week... he'll be on the technical team to troubleshoot any issues the car may have. He knows how to put cars through their paces, trust me... my acceleration comment was based on how he drives both my 8 and the Accord, and the corresponding G's exerted on the passenger (me!).

Ike

The current MT V6 accord out accelerates the RX-8 as well, it may not time wise but mashing the gas on a highway I give the nod to the Accord. Honda can build some serious engines and I think it won't be long before you see every major car manufacturer with a hybrid like the new Accord. Mitsubishi has a similar but even more powerful system in the works and I doubt they're the only one. I give it two years before we see a sportscar with this technology come to the surface, talk about making some serious torque down low... it doesn't get any better than a motor.

foxman

LOL, let's see...it is slower time wise, but out accelerates, yeah I get it. I just love empirical data.

ZoomZoomH

iTrader: (1)

this is the case where butt dyno doesn't tell the truth, and where low end torque will make a car 'feel' faster

ssjelite23

That doesn't make complete sense to me either, it out accelerates the 8 but time wise it's still slow? do you mean at the end of a 1/4, the 8 is till faster but the first few hundred feet the accord is quicker?

Ike

Actually I was spacing out when I wrote that, time wise it's about the same (which is what I was meaning to say) and the Accord V6 runs mid 14s more consitently than the RX-8 seems to be able to. However that's with the disadvantage of FWD get it on a highway or even from a slow roll and it's not even, they trap higher in the 1/4 mile than the RX-8 and have faster times from a roll which is why I used the word faster.

Quicker = Lower time
Faster = Higher trap speed

ssjelite23

Ah, ok. lol, spacing out huh? well, it IS friday... :D

markd

Actually, if you consider that alternative fuel vehicles come with tax breaks, it looks even more favorable for the Accord Hybrid.

ssjelite23

i don't suppose we could get a tax break for having a unique engine? :D

markd

I wish! That might begin to make up for the amount we spend in gas on a monthly basis!

ssjelite23

I know exactly what you mean...thank goodness gas prices over here started coming down a bit but it's still high. I hate the unocal station right down the street from me. They're still charging 2.37 per/gal when i can get it from another unocal closer to my work for 2.23! And they haven't lowered their price for almost a week now, talk about trying to get as much out of it as they can!

I read an article from The Press Enterprise, Driving section, that came out Sat. 12/11/2004 and they were saying hybrids get LOWER mpgs on the street vs. highway. I thought it was the other way around.




And could it be possible the g's exerted on car isn't because the Accord is quicker but because the Accord doesn't handle as well as the 8 does?