Elon Musk attended Stanford University for the specific purpose to research super capacitors and then dropped out to start PayPal.

Despite the battery factory, you can be certain Tesla engineers are monitoring current super cap research.

Mine is a 5 speed, but I read the new Clio, which has literally just come out (more of an update/facelift) has a 6 speed, I've just been to look at it and the diesel still had 5, but the petrol had 6. Less is sometimes more, maybe a lower revving diesel doesn't need extra gears to lower the revs as they are naturally lower anyway. And yea, now I want a new Clio, damn showrooms making their cars look all pretty and appealing...

I almost got suckered into swapping my old i20 for a new one on that basis - till i remembered how awful the first one was!
The new model was nicer all round, but i bet it shared the same shoddy mechanics, cheap materials and poor service.
Any plans for a new battery for the insight...?

Nah, was hoping for some time off this month, didn't happen, was also hoping for a week off next month but checking the diary, both my bosses have a week off each in October. Getting annoyed really, might have to sell it on a lack of spare time basis.

September is our busiest month, otherwise no real holiday restrictions here. Shame you can't get the time off you want. Is it a big job, swapping out the pack? I was expecting you to do up the Insight and sell the Clio!
You do far fewer miles than me, bet you could keep that Honda running well for years.

Or they wanted to squeeze a little more value out of their 5 speed factory tooling. ;)

Adding more speeds doesn't always result in better fuel economy, because of the choice in the new gearing ratios. When manuals here went from 4 to 5 speeds, the top gear in many cases didn't change. Honda still does this with their manuals; the Fit will pull 3000rpm in top gear at freeway speeds, while a Sonic will do just 2000rpm.

Since many will cruise at speeds higher than the peak ones on the EPA test cycles, extra transmission speeds that are overdrives will help people's real world fuel economy.

Latest 10-speed automatic news:

Peeking Inside the GM/Ford Transverse Nine-Speed Automatic

Hmm latest news about the 10 speed is that it is a 9 speed. Or is it ???

Already have a 9 speed

Interesting. Can you sense all 9-speeds shifting? Does it getcha much better MPG? What's the chief advantage?

Starts in second gear normally but can be manually shifted into 1st for extra power taking off or in off road driving. Benz also has it's cars start in 2nd as well.

Originally could feel shifting below 60 KPH but with a software upgrade not very noticeable, already in 5th gear at 70 KPH. In normal city driving you can see the tachometer rise to about 2200 RPM before shifting.

I guess it helps with fuel economy as the last gears are like over drive, but gives a very quiet drive with the motor seldom revving very high.

Cars | 9-Speed Automatic Transmission - ZF Friedrichshafen AG

Same transmission is also used in Jeep products and I believe on the Honda Pilot

ZF's 9-Speed 9HP Transmission Puts Dog Clutches On The Leash