Originally Posted by asianautica
Isn't IMA a term to describe a hybrid system that allow the electric motor and the gas motor to drive different wheels, like the gas powering the rear and the electric powering the front? I know that all the hybrid technology today is both motor driving the front wheel.
i don't know if there's one solid definition for integrated motor assist, but no, that's not what it means for hondas. in the insight and civic hybrid, the electric motor assists the internal combustion engine, it doesn't power different wheels independently. the gas engine doesn't have to be as powerful, so it can be signifigantly smaller and more efficient.