http://www.engadget.com/2007/05/11/toyota-looking-to-go-hybrid-only-by-2020/ Engadget Comments for Toyota looking to go hybrid-only by 2020? http://www.engadget.com/media/feedlogo.gif http://www.engadget.com en-us Copyright 2012 Weblogs, Inc. The contents of this feed are available for non-commercial use only. Blogsmith http://www.blogsmith.com/http://www.engadget.com/2007/05/11/toyota-looking-to-go-hybrid-only-by-2020/http://www.engadget.com/2007/05/11/toyota-looking-to-go-hybrid-only-by-2020/
Toyota has made the hybrid fad so big that even they are buying into it.]]>May 11th 2007 8:44PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2007/05/11/toyota-looking-to-go-hybrid-only-by-2020/http://www.engadget.com/2007/05/11/toyota-looking-to-go-hybrid-only-by-2020/May 11th 2007 8:52PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2007/05/11/toyota-looking-to-go-hybrid-only-by-2020/http://www.engadget.com/2007/05/11/toyota-looking-to-go-hybrid-only-by-2020/
The battery lasts the life of the car, BTW.]]>May 11th 2007 8:51PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2007/05/11/toyota-looking-to-go-hybrid-only-by-2020/http://www.engadget.com/2007/05/11/toyota-looking-to-go-hybrid-only-by-2020/
after moving the car, the #1 task of the prius control software is to maximize the useful life of the battery. there are many older priuses with 100K+ miles and no problems at all with the battery pack.]]>May 11th 2007 8:56PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2007/05/11/toyota-looking-to-go-hybrid-only-by-2020/http://www.engadget.com/2007/05/11/toyota-looking-to-go-hybrid-only-by-2020/
You say the battery lasts the life of the car, but I have cars over 15 years old in my family. Are you honestly telling me a battery has that kind of lifespan?]]>May 11th 2007 10:10PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2007/05/11/toyota-looking-to-go-hybrid-only-by-2020/http://www.engadget.com/2007/05/11/toyota-looking-to-go-hybrid-only-by-2020/

i dont get 41MPG, i get 50. if i did only city driving, i'm confident i could get 65-70MPG. this is a full-sized sedan with lots of amenities (6 cd changer, 7 speaker stereo, bluetooth hands free, reverse gear video camera, homelink, dimming mirrors, etc.) - its simply in a different class than any civic, even honda's hybrid civics.

the prius has what's known as a 'modified atkinson cycle' engine (as opposed to the plain otto cycle engine). this type of engine is more efficient, but can not produce as much torque as an otto cycle engine. also the prius engine has some other tricks up its sleeve, like the pistons being slightly offset from the crankshaft to minimize friction on the power stroke.

the larger electric motor (which is actually the final drive), drawing power from the battery, is used to provide the low-end torque that the gasoline motor can not provide. furthermore almost all braking is done first by regeneration; when the battery is full engine braking (compression braking) is added, and when that's not enough the friction brakes are used. so energy that would have been wasted in your civic is recovered, resulting in more MPGs.

so yes, it is because of the battery that it can achieve great mileage. every other car has an engine sized for acceleration from a standstill, but the prius can get away with having an engine that's sized perfectly for cruise, and rely on the battery/electric motors for starting torque.

as i briefly mentioned above, the main goal of the control loop is to keep the battery between 40 and 80% of maximum charge, and nominally at 60%. this is the secret to long battery life. the hybrid drive system is warranted for 10 years/100,000 miles. do you think toyota would do this if they felt it would be a huge liability for them? the battery is under the constant care of the computer which is managing its charge. its not the same as the lead-acid starting battery in your car that's just tied to the alternator with some diodes.

the prius actually has two electric motors, which are coupled to the wheels together with the gasoline engine by a planetary gear set which functions as an electronically controlled continuously variable transmission. as i mentioned before the final drive is electric, so this allows the gasoline engine to run at RPM settings that yield peak efficiency during highway cruise.

i'm telling you, this sh** is the real deal. its the most incredible car i've ever owned... and i've owned some nice ones, including a V70R and an MBZ C43 that just sits in the garage now.

this is a great page with lots of interesting info:

http://privatenrg.com/#Hybrid_Synergy_Drive
]]>May 12th 2007 2:48AMhttp://www.engadget.com/2007/05/11/toyota-looking-to-go-hybrid-only-by-2020/http://www.engadget.com/2007/05/11/toyota-looking-to-go-hybrid-only-by-2020/May 12th 2007 12:50PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2007/05/11/toyota-looking-to-go-hybrid-only-by-2020/http://www.engadget.com/2007/05/11/toyota-looking-to-go-hybrid-only-by-2020/
also the festiva NOx/CO/CO2/particulate emissions are nowhere even in the ballpark of the prius.]]>May 12th 2007 7:12PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2007/05/11/toyota-looking-to-go-hybrid-only-by-2020/http://www.engadget.com/2007/05/11/toyota-looking-to-go-hybrid-only-by-2020/May 11th 2007 9:06PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2007/05/11/toyota-looking-to-go-hybrid-only-by-2020/http://www.engadget.com/2007/05/11/toyota-looking-to-go-hybrid-only-by-2020/May 11th 2007 9:13PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2007/05/11/toyota-looking-to-go-hybrid-only-by-2020/http://www.engadget.com/2007/05/11/toyota-looking-to-go-hybrid-only-by-2020/May 11th 2007 9:17PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2007/05/11/toyota-looking-to-go-hybrid-only-by-2020/http://www.engadget.com/2007/05/11/toyota-looking-to-go-hybrid-only-by-2020/May 12th 2007 9:40AMhttp://www.engadget.com/2007/05/11/toyota-looking-to-go-hybrid-only-by-2020/http://www.engadget.com/2007/05/11/toyota-looking-to-go-hybrid-only-by-2020/May 11th 2007 9:17PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2007/05/11/toyota-looking-to-go-hybrid-only-by-2020/http://www.engadget.com/2007/05/11/toyota-looking-to-go-hybrid-only-by-2020/May 11th 2007 9:27PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2007/05/11/toyota-looking-to-go-hybrid-only-by-2020/http://www.engadget.com/2007/05/11/toyota-looking-to-go-hybrid-only-by-2020/May 11th 2007 10:02PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2007/05/11/toyota-looking-to-go-hybrid-only-by-2020/http://www.engadget.com/2007/05/11/toyota-looking-to-go-hybrid-only-by-2020/
and currently, I'd say Hybrids aren't worth buying over fully gasoline powered cars given the price premium and selection of vehicles. might change in a few years, but I'd much rather see electric or hydrogen vehicles by then.]]>May 11th 2007 9:50PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2007/05/11/toyota-looking-to-go-hybrid-only-by-2020/http://www.engadget.com/2007/05/11/toyota-looking-to-go-hybrid-only-by-2020/May 11th 2007 9:52PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2007/05/11/toyota-looking-to-go-hybrid-only-by-2020/http://www.engadget.com/2007/05/11/toyota-looking-to-go-hybrid-only-by-2020/>You say the battery lasts the life of the car, but I have cars over 15 years old in my family. Are you honestly telling me a battery has that kind of lifespan?

There has already been taxi drivers that drive Prius' that have more then 200,000+ miles on their car with the original battery as is still good as new. Also, Ni-Cad batteries that the Prius uses are 100% recycled (you actually pay for it and is included in the price of the car), and the battery for all cars is one of the most highly recycled components in any industry(where 98% of car batteries are recycled).


Also, to note. Hybrid technology now is obviously not going to be the same as hybrid technology in over then years.]]>May 11th 2007 10:30PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2007/05/11/toyota-looking-to-go-hybrid-only-by-2020/http://www.engadget.com/2007/05/11/toyota-looking-to-go-hybrid-only-by-2020/
Toyota says hybrid cost premium to disappear:
http://www.reuters.com/article/ousiv/idUSTKX00276320070510]]>May 11th 2007 10:34PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2007/05/11/toyota-looking-to-go-hybrid-only-by-2020/http://www.engadget.com/2007/05/11/toyota-looking-to-go-hybrid-only-by-2020/
We don't NEED hybrids. What we NEED are diesels. They are NOT expensive, at least nowhere as expensive as a hybrid is. They do not require a massive amount of engineering. They can be repaired by your local mechanic. They are very efficient.

You know what'd be even more efficient? A hybrid diesel. Maybe if Toyota committed to that... then we'd be going somewhere. And not just any hybrid, a series hybrid - it'd be cheaper to produce as well.

However, given America's style (highway travel), I'm not sure if it'd work for everyone. But definitely for a lot of people who do stop-and-go commuting. ]]>May 11th 2007 10:50PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2007/05/11/toyota-looking-to-go-hybrid-only-by-2020/http://www.engadget.com/2007/05/11/toyota-looking-to-go-hybrid-only-by-2020/May 12th 2007 2:33PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2007/05/11/toyota-looking-to-go-hybrid-only-by-2020/http://www.engadget.com/2007/05/11/toyota-looking-to-go-hybrid-only-by-2020/http://www.motorauthority.com/cars/toyota/toyota-to-develop-diesel-hybrid-by-2010/

A mind is a terrible thing to waste. ]]>May 11th 2007 11:01PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2007/05/11/toyota-looking-to-go-hybrid-only-by-2020/http://www.engadget.com/2007/05/11/toyota-looking-to-go-hybrid-only-by-2020/http://www.motorauthority.com/cars/toyota/toyota-to-develop-diesel-hybrid-by-2010/

A mind is a terrible thing to waste. ]]>May 11th 2007 11:03PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2007/05/11/toyota-looking-to-go-hybrid-only-by-2020/http://www.engadget.com/2007/05/11/toyota-looking-to-go-hybrid-only-by-2020/May 11th 2007 11:54PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2007/05/11/toyota-looking-to-go-hybrid-only-by-2020/http://www.engadget.com/2007/05/11/toyota-looking-to-go-hybrid-only-by-2020/http://clubs.ccsu.edu/recorder/editorial/editorial_item.asp?NewsID=188]]>May 12th 2007 1:51AMhttp://www.engadget.com/2007/05/11/toyota-looking-to-go-hybrid-only-by-2020/http://www.engadget.com/2007/05/11/toyota-looking-to-go-hybrid-only-by-2020/May 12th 2007 4:40PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2007/05/11/toyota-looking-to-go-hybrid-only-by-2020/http://www.engadget.com/2007/05/11/toyota-looking-to-go-hybrid-only-by-2020/May 12th 2007 2:54AMhttp://www.engadget.com/2007/05/11/toyota-looking-to-go-hybrid-only-by-2020/http://www.engadget.com/2007/05/11/toyota-looking-to-go-hybrid-only-by-2020/May 12th 2007 9:26AMhttp://www.engadget.com/2007/05/11/toyota-looking-to-go-hybrid-only-by-2020/http://www.engadget.com/2007/05/11/toyota-looking-to-go-hybrid-only-by-2020/May 12th 2007 10:38AMhttp://www.engadget.com/2007/05/11/toyota-looking-to-go-hybrid-only-by-2020/http://www.engadget.com/2007/05/11/toyota-looking-to-go-hybrid-only-by-2020/May 12th 2007 11:08AMhttp://www.engadget.com/2007/05/11/toyota-looking-to-go-hybrid-only-by-2020/http://www.engadget.com/2007/05/11/toyota-looking-to-go-hybrid-only-by-2020/May 12th 2007 2:43PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2007/05/11/toyota-looking-to-go-hybrid-only-by-2020/http://www.engadget.com/2007/05/11/toyota-looking-to-go-hybrid-only-by-2020/May 12th 2007 5:31PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2007/05/11/toyota-looking-to-go-hybrid-only-by-2020/http://www.engadget.com/2007/05/11/toyota-looking-to-go-hybrid-only-by-2020/May 13th 2007 9:51PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2007/05/11/toyota-looking-to-go-hybrid-only-by-2020/http://www.engadget.com/2007/05/11/toyota-looking-to-go-hybrid-only-by-2020/May 14th 2007 4:47PM