Challenging Toyota's Hybrid Hegemony

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(NuShrike @ May 1 2006, 05:32 PM) [snapback]247848[/snapback]</div>

And the 400h, and the new Camry. They all are using Toyota's newer two planetary gear HSD system.
[/b][/quote]
You have wrong understanding about those.

On Toyota HSD, the new reduction gear is only for the MG2.
The power split is done by single planetary gear and no clutch.
The two-mode system has to have clutches.

Ken@Japan

 

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(NuShrike @ May 1 2006, 03:32 AM) [snapback]247848[/snapback]</div>

Whoa, that's news to me. Do you have a source?

By the way, BMW really is developing innovative technology -- the Turbosteamer steam assist. It sounds cool if they can make it reliable.

 

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(ken1784 @ May 2 2006, 12:39 AM) [snapback]248450[/snapback]</div>

Really? So it's only for reduction gearing then? How does it work better than the traditional reduction gearing used in the Prius? Doesn't need that spanning belt anymore?

I sourced from the pictures and diagrams presented by [/b]during the pre-production Camry presentation for OC Prius. The 2nd PSD has a fixed sun-gear in difference, and it's directly connected to the ring gear? of the primary planetary gear. This whole new package is smaller in volume than the Prius's PSD. Of course, there are no clutch, and it's sounding more like a torque convertor of an automatic. I await more detailed analysis of it.

 

Lets see... GM's 25% improvement of 15 MPG is about 4 MPG improvement. Meanwhile, we replaced our Audi A4 getting 23 MPG with a Prius getting 46 MPG: 100% improvement. And those two cars are similarly sized 5-passenger cars. I won't be impressed with anything from GM that is less than 100% improvement. For those people who say they are happy GM is at least doing something, I say "The less you expect, the less you receive".

 

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(NuShrike @ May 2 2006, 03:47 PM) [snapback]248673[/snapback]</div>

No more chain. Check out the difference.

Prius HSD


HH/RX400h/Camry HSD


The second planetary gearset enabled the design to reduce one shaft. It makes the drivetrain lighter as well. Another benefit is that MG2 can be tweaked for power rather than lowend torque. Speed Reduction Unit is the reason why MG2 in HH/RX400h/TCH do not need to make as much torque as Prius MG2. I am guessing it will also enable higher speed in Stealth mode.

Dennis