Someone has said to me : Both electric motor and petrol motor runs at highway speed. you would know electric motor is only good at low speed, which means it's the petrol 1.5L motor, with puny maximum power and torque of 57kW and 115Nm, that has to do all the work. Is this right? This person hates the Prius by the way...
Howdy roger Your "someone" is full of BEANS.! All you need do is observe the MFD (display) on the "Energy" setting which will clearly indicate that the ICE (Petrol Engine) cycles in and out as required, as does the Electric Motor. The Prius design combines the power from each, or both, power sources according to the instant requirements - speed, up or down hill, etc. It is unfortunate that people make negative comments regarding ANY subject about which they have no accurate knowledge or information. I just smile and ignore "someone" like that, rarely responding at all. Enjoy your Prius, it's a remarkable engineering achievement.
My favorite of someone just talking the car down: I live in CT. So i am talking to this guy about the car and the mileage his response: "Well that car won't get anywhere in the High plain winds of Montana, you need some muscle to drive through there". I have no experience with "High Plains wind" in Montana so his statement could be accurate, but it was not really relevant. I just chuckled and moved along. Besides the folks that live in the "High plains" of Montana are probably using the SUV for its intended purpose. I would imagine that the Prius would not be a viable option for a cattle rancher.
Keep in mind that the "puny" engine is producing in the neighborhood of 20 kW steady-state to hold highway speed, as would the engine in any conventional car as well, and maximum output capability makes utterly no difference. The Prius just does it a bit more efficiently, and wastes relatively little to heating air and pushing it aside. . Where people get these notions about what they think they "need", I'll never fathom. . _H*
Pick up a copy of last week's Time magazine and read the essay on the last page. Prius is popular in Montana, much to the writer's surprise. It points out how 'the times they are a changin' '.
