Toyota Hybrid Cars

Toyota hybrid cars were developed as the result of the search for a more environmentally friendly car. Hybrids are those vehicles where two different power sources are combined to produce a more energy efficient and environmentally friendly vehicle. The Toyota Prius, for example, which first went on sale in Japan in 1997, had a regular internal combustion engine that was combined with an electric motor that was powered by nickel metal hybrid cells – although at the time this was not seen as viable for the American market. Japan’s next offering, the Toyota Insight went on sale in December 1999 in America, it was the first mass produced hybrid car.

The Insight went on sale for $20,000 in America and in June of 2000 the Toyota Prius hybrid car was introduced to the American market by the Japanese. Following the introduction of the Honda Civic in 2002, Toyota re-launched the Prius in 2003 and in 2004 sales of this hybrid vehicle doubled in America – and it has now sold more than all the other hybrid cars combined. However, hybrid cars have not been quite so quick to find favour in the European market.

The Toyota Prius runs in all electric mode for lower speeds and when it revs up to use its combined electric-gas horsepower it reaches 0-60 in 10.2 seconds. When the second generation Prius was released by Toyota in 2003, it was bigger, faster and ran more efficiently than previous models. The Prius has a monitor on the dashboard that shows the driver which engine is doing the work and how much energy is being used. The new model was also given lighter, lower friction pistons, a revised combustion chamber design and remapped variable valve timing, all of which helped to increase the engine power by a significant amount.

The third generation Prius is due to be released in 2009 and it is already estimated that it, too, will outdo its predecessors. However, the model will not include, as was speculated, next generation lithium ion battery technology, nor a an option to have a plug in. Rather than adding on other elements to increase efficiency, Toyota has decided to concentrate on incremental improvements in its hybrid car, if things go to plan then it should be possible for the mpg in the Prius to rise into the fifties – if this happens then the Toyota Prius hybrid car will keep its position as the most fuel efficient car on the roads.

Source: YourRoads.com

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