Toyota Prius PHEV Test Car Specs

Is 100 Km/hour possible using the "old" 5K RPM limit of MG1? I thought that was the limiting factor of electric only travel...or will the engine be spinning at that speed, like it does now? I wonder if the 34 MPH forced EV will change. Sounds like the normal EV mode will be able to do 60 MPH with the plug-in!

 

62 MPH EV speed should not be a problem. The MG1 in the 04' MY Prius is capable of spinning up to 10,000 RPM.

Video of charging and test drive posted in the other thread posted by Ken.

 

Just two comments. How many get "after-peak hours" lower electrical rates? I've never seen it in Canada.

Looks like they've just doubled the current battery. Can I do that, can I, can I? Otherwise, it's very similar to the current car. The video link posted failed. Looking for the original topic to view it.

Thanks, Evan, for posting the PDF.

 

I wonder why the battery is still Nimh and not L-ion......

 

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(usbseawolf2000 @ Jul 25 2007, 10:25 AM) [snapback]484670[/snapback]</div>

Could the gear ratio of MG1 be changed to get around this limitation?

Also, I noticed the overall power was increased to 136 HP--wonder how much that would increase performance?

 

My bad. just read another thread for the 10K RPM limit on MG1.

5K RPM limit on the ICE. (bangs hand into forehead)

Well, let's get this to the public before the GM volt takes over the world!

 

So my first reaction is "what the heck can I do with only a 13 km range?!". On further consideration, it would allow the -hybrid- technology to increase fuel economy by quite a bit. It would also make the "EV" switch obsolete, as it would be "built in".

Hope you're right Tideland. My expectation is testing this year. Japanese introduction next year. Rest of the world introduction the following year. I'd think it would be nice even with NiMH batteries, as long as they can squeeze them in there without too much loss of cargo room. There is a lot of wasted space in the back under the floor. I guess it's a paralleled pack with electronic balancing control, or they've switched to a 416 V pack (two current packs in series), with less boost needed in the HSD.

I suspect they are testing to learn how it will react in "normal" driving, what hidden problems they will have to deal with, etc. No matter which battery they use, there are bound to be "gotchas" lurking.

The higher power output may be a simple result of batteries with more output capability re current. The car we have now is limited in the electronics to protect the battery from overheating/overcurrent. MG2 can deliver more power than we currently can get.

 

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(Per @ Jul 25 2007, 08:08 AM) [snapback]484703[/snapback]</div>

If it had gears...

Increase performance? You could either make it accelerate faster with a slower top speed or accelerate slower with a faster top speed, or use more electrical energy and defeat the whole purpose of the vehicle.

 

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(TLS @ Jul 25 2007, 03:20 PM) [snapback]484913[/snapback]</div>

Of course it has gears--gears connect the motors to the planetary gear! Anywhere you have gears, you can change the ratios, which would be one way to keep MG1 below 10,000 RPM at higher speeds than 62 MPH.

Increased HP means faster acceleration and higher top speed. However, if you don't use this higher HP, mileage would not differ, especially since the added power came from the battery--the ICE still has the same rating in the specs.

 

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(David Beale @ Jul 25 2007, 02:52 PM) [snapback]484892[/snapback]</div>

A simplified explanation is it's an increase from 3-mile to 8-mile in battery-pack capacity plus adding a plug.

Saying it that way, you really don't even need to discuss maximum speed or EV range. It's a big boost in the electricity reserve available for the "full" hybrid system.

 

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(Per @ Jul 25 2007, 02:39 PM) [snapback]484997[/snapback]</div>

MG1 is simply a motor that drives the sun gear in the planetary gear unit for the purpose of starting the engine. It can also be driven by the engine via the planetary to convert that rotation into electricity. As an electrical motor, only the the manner in which the phases are operated would change the rate at which it spins, but it can not be modified for more mechanical as an electrical component.

Changing that relationship by giving one component more mechanical advantage over the other will theoretically only recover more electricity or create a higher speed starter.

Changing the ratio of the planetary would not effect the horsepower, only the torque.

 

Glad to hear that there are plans to also test them in the US and Europe. As our fearless leader'd say:

"Bring'em on!"

 

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(TLS @ Jul 25 2007, 05:57 PM) [snapback]485045[/snapback]</div>

You are absolutely right--changing gear ratios change torque, not HP. The question was whether different gearing in the planetary gearbox could get around the 10,000 RPM limit of MG1 without adversely affecting overall HSD performance.

 

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(Per @ Jul 25 2007, 04:02 PM) [snapback]485050[/snapback]</div>

It was, but I addressed the question as it was postulated: "Could the gear ratio of MG1 be changed to get around this limitation?"

MG1 does not have gears, but I digress, at times the meaning of the sentence is lost on me for the technical statements of the sentence.

 

Hi All,

What good is it ? For people with a 4 mile commute, they will basically only use gas in the winter, and weekends. That is a great advantage. For people with longer commutes, it means much more pulse and glide capability. No need to pulse at a low level for most commutes, to get the battery back up over 5 bars - the household electricity will do that. And in hot areas, it means running the AC on the household current for the typical commute. These are all great improvements. And certainly, it means better mileage for people in hillier terrain (as has been mentioned).

This is a first step for a production PHEV, a PHEV 8. 20 years more from the first prodution, we can expect much better batteries, or other storage technologies. A PHEV 40 might be too big a leap to start. There has to be proffit to fund the next step.

The reason their is more power, is that there is more power in the battery. Right now, the battery is only about 25 hp, 30 in peaks. The double sized battery can have twice the HP, or 50 / 60 HP , and the 1.8 liter turbo engine discused probably makes for a total of 138 hp. That means the motor power is a close match to the battery in this car. Applying the performance / hp comparisons of our Prius, Prius will probably accellerate like a 180 hp traditional automatic transmission car. Something like a 7.5 second 0-60 mph time ?



Hi Per and TLS,

As the Battery Power to MG2 power ratio is much bigger in this car, the amount of juice from MG1 does not have to be as high. More of the engine power can go directly through the gearbox to the wheels, and less by MG1 to MG2. So MG1 could run slower for that reason alone. Which would increase the glide speed and EV speed.

But will Toyota do a special gearbox for the PHEV vehicle? Or stick with the same gearbox the 1.8 Liter Turbo Miller engine will use ?