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Discussion in 'Prius, Hybrid, EV and Alt-Fuel News' started by flim, Aug 20, 2023.

  1. flim

    flim Active Member

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    The Crucial Tech That Made Toyota’s Hybrid Revolution Possible

    These days, the Toyota Hybrid System doesn't get a lot of love. With our rapid move towards electrification, much more emphasis has been placed on full battery-electric vehicles (BEVs) and to a lesser extent, plug-in hybrid electric vehicles (PHEVs). Hell, in America, you can get a tax credit on a number of BEVs and PHEVs, but not any conventional hybrids. Toyota's hybrid system is old news, though there's a case to be made for its future.
     
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  2. PriusCamper

    PriusCamper Senior Member

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    It's been a long time since 1993 and putting electric motors inside of an automobile transmission is an out-dated no brainer that hardly seems like "crucial tech" anymore. Its run its course and has no future because the sunset of fossil fuel engines that it's design is dependent on has begun. It's as clear as the fact that the world is now facing 20 major natural disasters a year, whereas in the entire decade of the 1980's there were only 30 major natural natural disasters (3 a year). The future of the world's economy is about to shift to being based on rebuilding from disasters and no one has done a single thing to stop the fossil fuel industry from increasing production so it's gonna get way, way, way, worse...

    upload_2023-8-20_20-18-17.png
     
  3. bwilson4web

    bwilson4web BMW i3 and Model 3

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    Having owned a Gen 1, Gen 3, and Prime, I have a long admiration for the Toyota transaxle. But sometimes called 'the victory disease,' Toyota went a different direction.

    The 'forbidden experiment' would have been to replace all of the ICE components and fill the space with batteries. Then use the Prime control laws for EV operation. A Prius BEV would have been a great start. Along with battery and transaxle simplifications, it could have given Tesla a chance to be honest competition at an affordable price. But they went another way.

    In one respect, it reminds me of BMW making the BW i3 BEV and REx and then walking away from what I still consider the best PHEV. It is good enough that I bought a second BMW i3-REx to complement my Tesla. Opportunity lost.

    Bob Wilson
     
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  4. bisco

    bisco cookie crumbler

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    saw a bmw IX yesterday gross looking and 90 g's :eek:
     
    #4 bisco, Aug 21, 2023
    Last edited: Aug 21, 2023
  5. John321

    John321 Senior Member

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    Toyota is just getting started:

    How many know Toyota has built and is responsible for a Lunar Cruiser?

    That is not even the most exciting new technology they are working on

    38th SPACE SYMPOSIUM (Information on Lunar Cruiser Development) (global.toyota)

    LUNAR CRUISER | Technology | Mobility | Toyota Motor Corporation Official Global Website
    "Here are the key technologies for our development, many of which are based on the same technologies of production vehicles. ・Fuel Cell Compact stacks, using pure oxygen ・Autonomous Driving Self localization, Risk grid visualization ・Powertrain Control Independent control, Crawl Control ・Vehicle Dynamics Control Anti-rollover control"

    upload_2023-8-21_15-39-7.png


    OIP.jpg2.jpg
     
    #5 John321, Aug 21, 2023
    Last edited: Aug 21, 2023
  6. hill

    hill High Fiber Member

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    Perhaps the OP can read, "The story behind the Prius" sticky above. Every bit of this history is already covered - right there. Enjoy!
    .
     
    #6 hill, Aug 21, 2023
    Last edited: Aug 21, 2023
  7. bisco

    bisco cookie crumbler

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    toyota is just getting started, but i'm nearing the finish line. i'm not bitter :p
     
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  8. PriusCamper

    PriusCamper Senior Member

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    It all comes down to battery chemistry... Toyota painted themselves into a corner with the antiquated NiMH chemistry. Their entire business model was to corner the market on it, which they did fairly well, but NiMH is outdated and way too heavy, which makes it incompatible with EV development and Toyota didn't want to figure out how to transition to all the many Lithium options so they're now dead in the water as a company compared to all their competitors. So now they're trying to make impossible promises that fail... First it was Hydrogen fuel cells, then it was Solid State, both of them entirely unable to be a reliable power source in the near future.
     
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  9. mikefocke

    mikefocke Prius v Three 2012, Avalon 2011

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    Dropped off my hybrid at the small town dealer's today for routine service. While waiting for my wife to pick me up in her hybrid, I wandered the entire lot.

    • Generally very very few new cars available.
    • Only one new hybrid, a Rav4h SE.
    • Two low content ICE Rav4s.
    • Lots of trucks both new and used by comparison.
    • Huge amount of used sedans, bulk in the area where they park those going to wholesalers.
     
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  10. bisco

    bisco cookie crumbler

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    yup, not seeing any improvement around here yet
     
  11. PriusCamper

    PriusCamper Senior Member

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    How in the world are all the auto stealerships gonna survive if they aren't selling large numbers of new cars? It makes no sense?
     
  12. bisco

    bisco cookie crumbler

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    gouging on the ones they do sell, and getting close to msrp on used. not to mention the scams going on in the service departments
     
  13. wjtracy

    wjtracy Senior Member

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    Hey don't knock the RAV4HV SE ...that's what we have now...
    approaching 50k miles...
     
    #13 wjtracy, Aug 27, 2023
    Last edited: Aug 27, 2023
  14. mikefocke

    mikefocke Prius v Three 2012, Avalon 2011

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    Not knocking a SE, just commenting on the state of the supply of hybrids. Maybe influenced by them selling all '23s and waiting on '24s to be announced and delivered. Or is it too early for that?
     
  15. bisco

    bisco cookie crumbler

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    just got a 24 hycam today. idk if all the models change dates at the same time
     
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  16. hill

    hill High Fiber Member

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    The one you've been waiting for? Congrats!
    .
     
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  17. bisco

    bisco cookie crumbler

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    came into the dealer, picking it up tomorrow i hope.
     
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