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Toyota's hybrid electric vehicle
Darius Mehri -- Design News, July 11, 2001
Tuesday, August 29, 2000
Toyota will release the first mass-produced gasoline/electric hybrid vehicle in the U.S. this year. Configured in parallel, the engine and electric motor are connected to the drive train.
The company claims that the ratio of power provided by each system is constantly controlled to keep the vehicle in its most efficient mode to deliver a city/highway fuel economy rating of 52/45 mpg.
More than 35,000 already have been sold in Japan since its release in 1997. However, the US and Japan versions are designed differently. Engineers at the National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL) test drove the American version and found it to handle very well in the Colorado mountains. "Because of the steeply sustained mountain grades, Colorado provides excellent testing grounds for an HEV (hybrid electric vehicle)," says a test engineer. "The engines in the Japanese and American Prius are the same, but the American version performs better because Toyota engineers have increased the engine speed from around 3,500-4,000 to 4,500 rpm, providing higher engine horsepower." For more information see http://www.toyota.com.
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