Honda Worldwide | Products & Technology | Automobiles

insight: the world's lowest
fuel consumption* technology

Honda's IMA system, an ultra-aerodynamic shape and a new lightweight aluminum body structure are at the heart of the insight's unheard-of low fuel consumption.


	Honda's IMA (Integrated Motor Assist) system is a proprietary hybrid system that combines a 1.0-liter lean-burn VTEC engine with a motor assist mechanism to provide superior fuel combustion in all driving situations.


	World-leading aerodynamics in a mass-produced vehicle for dramatically reduced aerodynamic resistance.


	Honda's new lightweight aluminum body structure employs a structural design and forming technologies that take full advantage of aluminum's intrinsic qualities to achieve both high rigidity and lightness.

Technologies that reduce weight and improve efficiency have also been adopted in the transmission and chassis to achieve a minicar-like weight of 820kg (model equipped with a 5-speed manual transmission), and the world's lowest fuel consumption* for a gasoline engine-powered vehicle of 35km/liter (using a model equipped with a 5-speed manual transmission).

*As of October 1, 2000.

Ultra-low fuel consumption technologies

Theme

Tech-
nology

Method

Contribution
to low
fuel
consumption

Ultra-
efficient
power
unit

Honda
IMA
system

<Overall system>
	Highly efficient, lightweight and simple hybrid system
	Reduced fuel consumption through regenerative braking
	Automatic idle-stop system
	Highly efficient, lightweight Honda Multi-Matic S
	Lightweight 5-speed manual transmission

<Engine>
	Super efficient 1.0-liter lean-burn VTEC engine
	Extensive friction reduction
	World's lightest 1.0-liter engine

Highly efficient, simple, lightweight assist system

*	Thin DC brushless motor
*	Nickel hydrogen battery system
*	Power Control Unit (PCU)

Engine

35%

Motor
Assist

30%

Excep-
tional
aero-
dynamics

Wind
cheating
form

An aerodynamic form born of wind tunnel tests resulting in a drag coefficient of Cd= 0.25 (in-house test data)

Painstaking attention to aerodynamic details

*	Aerodynamic fenders, rear wheel skirts, underbody air flow

Body
Tech-
nology

35%

Ultra-
lightweight
body

Low
rolling
resistance

	Ultra-low rolling resistance tires
	Lightweight, fuel-saving rack and pinion-type Electric Power Steering (EPS)

New
ultra-
light-
weight
aluminum
body
structure

Adopting a variety of different forming methods, from extrusion to die casting to pressed elements for an optimized aluminum body structure

*	A lightweight basic structure using extruded materials
*	Die-cast materials for the connecting elements between structural components

Aluminum/resin light outer body panels

Chassis

Lightweight, compact suspension design

Extensive use of aluminum parts

*	Front lower arm, brake system, brake and clutch pedal

Plastic fuel tank

Interior

Lightweight seats and fabrics