4th generation coming 2015!

With the speculation about two 'battery types' I suspect that one will be an advanced supercap and the other would be a Li-ion battery. The supercap would be used first taking the brunt of cycles (as they wear less from cycling) and also allowing for higher efficiency. When they run out of charge/discharge room the normal hybrid battery would be used.

 

Could be looked at that way, but I thought that meant they would make two versions, one old school NiMH and other Li-iON I could be wrong though! There probably won't be an announcement until at least mid next year

 

11th Gen Corolla off the line and landing soon. I see similarities in front end to new Avalon, thinking front end styling may point to 4th gen Prius. Whatchya think?

2014 Toyota Corolla First Drive – Review – Car and Driver

 

i like it! does it look like a focus? probably the sportiest corolla to date, what's my granny gonna drive?

 

C&D doesn't give new Corolla the Mazda3 fun to drive approval, just very user friendly and practical, so granny will be just fine. Just keep her out of the S model.

 

Next-gen Toyota Prius aiming for 55 mpg, could arrive in 2015

http://pressroom.toyota.com/releases/2013 toyota global hybrid rollout.htm?view_id=42205

 

Agh that's not impressive enough! I've done 55mpg a couple times on the Gen III already....hmmmm...or is t 55 epa and 60 for prius drivers

 

Means that you will do even better if you start with 55 mpg, I read it as combined mpg.

 

Hopefully. Unless the new system isn't as user friendly (to hypermilers) or has more of the hypermiling techniques "baked in"

 

I work in the plant where they are made, and I'm already sick of looking at them

General consensus is it looks like a Hyundai from the front and a Honda Civic from the back.

 

Something to consider: Toyota's press release today is saying the ICE thermal efficiency will improve from a current 38.5% to over 40%. This is a 4% reduction in turning gasoline into waste-heat. This means less fuel for a given power to the wheels. Roughly calculating and assuming the engine doesn't have any more frictional loss than the current ICE, it'll mean about 52 MPG combined without accounting for any changes to the electric side of the powertrain or all the other chassis, tire, and aero improvements that culminate in the finished product.

 

55 mpg is probable if they get 4% out of the ice alone. Getting 2% out of the electronics/battery side along with some weight reductions would get them there. From that press release it implies weight reduction in the motors and we know the battery side will come down as well. This is all before doing anything expensive such as carbon fiber or more aluminum.

I am still hoping on supercaps on the electronics side. The charging losses are much lower on supercaps.

 

Reported more than two years ago.

"Nakata said that the engine team has currently delivered a 42.4% thermal efficiency in concept 1 and 43.7% thermal efficiency in concept 2."

Green Car Congress: Toyota targeting thermal efficiency of more than 45% for next-generation gasoline engines for hybrids

 

Maybe Valvematic, direct injection, ...

 

I like the comment about lower center of gravity, better ride and handling. I can feel a distinct difference in Camry handling (SE for ie) and Prius. Camry feels Much more planted to the ground.

The slide that mention 'lighter weight, more compact, etc....' .... I sure hope they are talking about the drivetrain, not the body. The body should not shrink one iota, just be sleeker.

 

News flash. Wireless charging plus other stuff.


Toyota says 2015 Prius hybrid will be lighter, more economical - Yahoo! News

 

Tideland, how much is it to replace that 12v Battery?

 

If a 4% improvement in thermal efficiency of the ICE only translates to 2 mpg gain, one wonders why Toyota is obsessively focused on thermal efficiency alone of the gasoline engine.

Other manufacturers have managed to improve mpg by other engine technologies whilst also improving power/weigh ratios as well so there should be a good reason why Toyota is so focused on this particular "transfer function" so to speak - I just can't get it.

And related to this, why don't other manufacturers publish anything about their thermal efficiency - we all know some non-hybrids of today come close to 50mpg so wouldn't that mean some of them engines could even be more thermally efficient than the Gen3 Toyota hybrid ICE.

 

Actually, I am a bit dissapointed that there was no mention of the NS4.

You know what would be the greatest suprise of all... if the NS4 turns out to be PG4 (Prius Gen4)