100,000 mile Ultrabattery Insight exhibited at 2008 Geneva Motor Show
A Provector-modified Honda Insight, equipped with a Furukawa Ultrabattery in place of the standard NiMH battery, was exhibited in the Main Hall of the 2008 Geneva Motor Show, following its successful 100,000 mile endurance test at Millbrook Proving Ground.
The Insight generated a considerable level of interest during the show from both the car industry and the media.
The project to install and test the Furukawa Ultrabattery in the Insight was funded by the Advanced Lead Acid Battery Consortium (ALABC). The Ultrabattery, based on an original design by CSIRO in Australia, integrates lead-acid battery and asymmetric ultracapacitor technologies in a single package. Provector was responsible for designing and implementing the mechanical and electronic installation of the Furukawa modules into the Insight hybrid system. This was done such that the battery occupied the same space as the NiMH battery and delivered the same performance.
Provector also managed the endurance test. This involved creating a comprehensive data collection and analysis facility to allow extensive monitoring of the vehicle, with results regularly distributed to all partners involved in the project. The battery performed extremely well throughout the test and required no balancing over the 100,000 mile distance.
Following the Geneva Motor Show the Insight was shipped to Furukawa in Japan where it has continued to be used. The car was also featured on the 'Opening Bell' television programme in Japan.