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WHICH hybrid can I buy in Zimbabwe?
This is the biggest question everyone is asking.
Is the Honda Vezel Hybrid the best on Honda hybrids family?
Are Honda hybrids better than Toyota hybrids such as the Toyota Aqua hybrids, Toyota Axio hybrids, Toyota Prius hybrids, Toyota Lexus RX hybrids, etcetera?
These are some of the questions I am asked all the time.
Which one is the best off-road hybrid between Honda Vezel Hybrid, Nissan Xtrail Pure-Drive Hybrid and Toyota Lexus RX400h, RX450h, and so on.
Let us look at individual vehicle makes and models.
Honda Vezel Hybrid comes with 173-volt lithium-ion battery technology.
Lithium (Li) based batteries are currently the leader in battery technology for transportation applications.
The main reason for the use in these applications is the high cell nominal voltage of 3.6-volts to 4.2-volts, increased energy storage capacity, the ability to hold a charge over a long period, and does not have apparent capacity loss (ACL), unlike nickel metal hydride (NiMH) found in Toyota hybrid families, and some Mazda hybrid families.
The lithium-based batteries can maintain their capacity over their life span and can be charged a high number of times before reaching end of life.
End of life of battery cell is defined in the automotive industry as when the cell/module can only store 80 percent of the energy compared to a new cell/module.
Lithium batteries have high energy storage capacity and low cell resistance, which allows a battery pack to have large power delivery that can be used to enhance vehicle performance and extend vehicle range.
The Atkinson cycle engines that come with Honda hybrid families are bulletproof and very durable; considering how the Atkinson cycle works, the engine does not work as much as the Otto cycle engine style.
Atkinson engines reduce engine pumping losses (parasitic drag), and increase efficiency as they keep the intake valve open longer during compression stroke, pushing some of the fuel-air mixture into the intake manifold or surge tanks in some designs.
This process is also known as reversion.
Atkinson cycle engine designs are also found in other hybrid vehicles like Toyota Aqua, Toyota Axio, Toyota Prius, and Toyota C-HR Hybrids, etcetera.
Mazda calls its Atkinson engine design, Skyactiv.
Honda series-parallel hybrid families like, Honda Vezel RU3, RU4 hybrids, Honda Fit GP5, GP6, Honda Shuttle GP7, and GP8, etcetera, come with a manual seven speed dry dual clutch transmission, which is electrically shifted, and has an electronically and hydraulically actuated clutch system.
These transmissions are very durable, considering that they have manual transmission components like helical gears, synchro-meshes, main shafts, counter shafts, input and output shafts, etcetera.
These transmissions need services like oil change, which are done at longer intervals (every two to three years).
The electro-hydraulic clutch actuators, which are responsible for the manual dry dual clutch operation, also needs service like brake fluid replacement that is also done at longer intervals (every two to three years), these are some of the advantages that comes with Honda hybrid families.
Hybrid electronics in Honda hybrid families are air cooled, which reduces services of coolant cooled systems found in Toyota hybrids, Nissan hybrids, and Mazda hybrids, etcetera.
Honda uses centralised high voltage systems, where components like inverters, DC-to-DC converters are all inside the high voltage battery pack (RESS).
Honda hybrid vehicles come as all-wheel-drives (AWD) and two drives.
It is just a matter of one’s preference.
Honda Vezel Hybrid is an off-road version of its sisters and brothers, such as the Honda Fit GP5 and GP6, Honda Shuttle GP7 and GP8, just to mention a few.
On the other hand, Toyota hybrid families like Toyota Aqua hybrids, Toyota Axio hybrids and Toyota Prius hybrids come with nickel metal hydride (NiMH) battery packs/RESS.
These battery packs are air cooled.
Apparent capacity loss (ACL) is one of the most common failures modes of NiMH batteries.
An ACL is a condition when unused parts of the battery cell transition to a dormant state from gamma, and the total cell capacity is reduced.
This type of failure will result in reduced fuel economy in a hybrid electric vehicle (HEV).
ACL is not found in lithium batteries in Honda Vezel hybrids, Honda Fit GP5, GP6, Honda Shuttle hybrids GP7 and GP8, which is another advantage in favor of these Honda hybrids compared to their nemesis, the Toyota hybrids, Nissan Xtrail hybrids and Mazda hybrids like Mazda Axela hybrids, etcetera.
NiMH has a cell nominal voltage of 1.2 volts, compared to lithium cell nominal voltage of 3.6 volts.
This means for the same total voltage, the NiMH will have a larger battery than lithium battery of the same total voltage.
NiMH batteries lack liquid electrolyte, which increases its resistance to vibration and temperature changes that accompany an automotive application.
On the other hand, lithium cells are very flexible, which allows them to be used for various vehicle and propulsion technology applications.
Toyota hybrids, Mazda hybrids and Nissan hybrids mentioned earlier come with transaxle instead of the transmissions in Honda hybrid families.
The transaxle will be made of two electric motor generator, motor generator 1 (MG1) and motor generator 2 (MG2).
Transaxles will need longer service intervals (every two to three years), as they will need oil replacement.
*Taurayi Raymond Sewera is ASE & AUTOCATE ASSOCIATION certified World Class Master Technician with 39ASEs, ASE Advanced Level Specialist L1, L2, L3 and L4, AMI Accredited Master Electric Vehicles and Master Automotive Manager, ACDC certified Master Hybrid and Electric Vehicles Technician. Taurayi is the founder and CEO of TauRay Automotive. He can be contacted on +263 77 234 1193, +263 77 235 7296 or [email protected]
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