Hey guys,
Gasoline engine tend to be the most efficient at around their peak torque, which is for the 3rd Gen Insight 99 lb-ft @ 5000 rpm. It's true for both Otto and Atkinson cycles. In conventional cars, it's impractical to be in these high RPMs, but in the Insight it's not really an issue because the ICE is not directly connected to the gears (unless at constant speed on the highway).So you would think you would generate electricity the most efficiently by revving the engine at high RPMs while somehow maintaining a constant speed.
Now we can't really control the RPMs vs. actual acceleration other that playing with the ECON/ Sport buttons et the battery charge. I've read that some people use Sports mode when going flat to charge the battery in anticipation of an upcoming hill. I suppose that makes the ICE work less harder when going up the hill. But what if going uphill was a perfect case of high RPM and constant speed? Which would mean best efficiency?
Basically what I'm wondering is if there are cases when high RPMs (loud engine) would be beneficial in terms of mpgs. And using uphill with the cruise control seems like a good example to me, where it would actually be more beneficial to have a low battery at the start of the hill.
This is just a theory that went through my mind (as you guys know by now I love weird theories haha). What do you guys think?
Gasoline engine tend to be the most efficient at around their peak torque, which is for the 3rd Gen Insight 99 lb-ft @ 5000 rpm. It's true for both Otto and Atkinson cycles. In conventional cars, it's impractical to be in these high RPMs, but in the Insight it's not really an issue because the ICE is not directly connected to the gears (unless at constant speed on the highway).So you would think you would generate electricity the most efficiently by revving the engine at high RPMs while somehow maintaining a constant speed.
Now we can't really control the RPMs vs. actual acceleration other that playing with the ECON/ Sport buttons et the battery charge. I've read that some people use Sports mode when going flat to charge the battery in anticipation of an upcoming hill. I suppose that makes the ICE work less harder when going up the hill. But what if going uphill was a perfect case of high RPM and constant speed? Which would mean best efficiency?
Basically what I'm wondering is if there are cases when high RPMs (loud engine) would be beneficial in terms of mpgs. And using uphill with the cruise control seems like a good example to me, where it would actually be more beneficial to have a low battery at the start of the hill.
This is just a theory that went through my mind (as you guys know by now I love weird theories haha). What do you guys think?