There is a really good Secret Hiding Place right under the steering wheel. There is a opening and a flap for access by the service department to plug in their computer. Lets search around our cars for more secret hiding places. Don't you just love secret hiding places?
Customs agents love them too. But more hidey-holes = more stuff = more weight. Part of driving green is not toting around more than you need. OK, you can't put a ton of stuff in any of these places, but the cumlative effect adds up.
Actually in -any- car you don't get the full HP until the engine RPM is at the rated level and you are still applying full torque to the wheels. HP is RPM times torque/time. You DO get the full motor torque with the HSD as long as the battery allows it, at -any- RPM. The actual torque to the wheels will be the engine torque plus the motor torque. But I'll bet someone will be correcting me as there must be something I'm missing.
An HDD based nav? How about a flash memory based NAV? Those gizmos should not need any moving parts. No hard drives, no DVD's, just solid state components the way God intended. Of course, God only needs a nav unit during construction season; those projects have got to be designed by the downstairs manager.
"Flippy mats" ?!?!? What a fantastic idea!!! OK - I web searched. Can't find a good parts store online in Canada . Think you could hook me up?!? Gracias! .
In a "typical" electric motor, max torque is at 0 RPM, and then slopes off as RPM increases. HP is a function of (RPM * Torque) / constant. Toyota has done some tricks w/ MG2 with pulse-width modulation and variable phase timing to keep the torque curve as flat as possible during higher RPM. I think I read somewhere that MG2's max torque is maintained 0-8000 RPM. As for the ICE's max RPM, the way the planetary split device (PSD) works limits full engine RPM due to the max operating speed of MG1 (~10,000 RPM IIRC). Thus MG2's RPM must be around 8000 RPM (before reduction) before the ICE is allowed to reach 5200 RPM. I don't have the exact math to know exactly which speeds - those are purely observation and derivation from previous generations. Incidentally, the 116mph top speed limitation is due to MG2's 13,000 RPM max speed combined w/ the ICE's max speed of 5200 RPM while not exceeding MG1's 10,000 RPM max speed. Anyone know if Wayne Brown's (mwbueno) HSD simulator has been revised for the Gen III? This mini-app allowed us to plug in hypothetical speeds for each component and give us the resultant speed of the other two components. This, in turn, allowed us to understand why specific max speeds were chosen (i.e. 46mph max warp stealth, max reverse speed, max top speed, etc.)?
One is about 3-4" from the other. Not sure why there are two, but in theory one gives you a lower hood opening than the other - perhaps to clear a low ceiling (despite the hatch not following the same rules)?
So what happens over 74mph? Does ICE rpm stay at a steady 5200 and electric motor rpm increase as speed increases?
Ok, here's one: During the early development of the 3rd Gen Prius, the weight issue was even worse. At one time, we were not going to be able to offer leather and solar roof on the same car! But Otsuka got it done, thank goodness. Does that make anyone feel any better? Doug Coleman Prius Product Manager Toyota Motor Sales, USA
Was it easier to makes weight once you realized you could cut the leather off the cow before installing it?
Sounds like the 50mpg target was cast in stone regardless of that the public wanted (Loaded Priii). Sometimes targets need to be moving. With all the fuss about achieving max FE I'm not sure why the V didn't have forged wheels since we're seeing they add about 40 lbs of unsprung weight. Adding 60 lbs "sprung" for a SR would have been minor compared to the hit for the wheels alone, if I believe all I'm reading.
Well yes, some. I really wanted a new Prius but if you had cut out the leather I wouldn't be driving one. And I'm OK with the loss of FE from my 17" wheels. They are beautiful and help make the car desirable to someone (me) that would not have had a Prius in the past. Thank you Doug , Mr Otsuka and Toyota!
OK, Doug. How about settling how much weight the solar roof adds? It was posted that adds about 62 pounds but I think that was from a British source and may have been for the solar portion only. Is 62 lbs accurate? Thanks. While you are at it, how much the 17" wheels add.
I couldn't tell you exactly, but I highly suspect it's $$$. Doug Coleman Prius Product Manager Toyota Motor Sales, USA
Alright already on the weight. I'll leave my sack of potato chips home and travel light. Anyone discover anything else cool about their Prius that is (way out there)?
Didn't realise leather upholstery weighed that much. Or is it because you were going to bundle it with the power lumbar support.