2009 Toyota Prius Plug-in Hybrid Prototype: Tokyo Test Drive

[mikered30]

I know this is quite old, but I did not see or hear about this before. I hope toyota improved on the 7 miles per charge.

TOKYO — Toyota may be the first to market with a plug-in hybrid electric (PHEV) vehicle. Today, we were briefed on Toyota’s future hybrid and alternative fuel plans. And while there was no official announcement by Yoshitaka Asakura, Project General Manager of Toyota’s Hybrid Vehicle System Engineering Development Division, he mentioned that their plug-in development program was under way and that it may not wait for lithium-ion battery technology to mature.

"Toyota has the knowledge and experience with nickel metal hydride. And we have to use the battery we know best, in terms of overall performance," said Asakura.

Toyota is using their proven nickel-metal hydride (NiMh) battery packs in prototype Prius PHEV’s which we had an opportunity to drive at Toyota’s Higashi-Fuji Technical Center about 45 minutes (by train) outside Tokyo. The prototype PHEV’s use two current generation Prius battery packs sandwiched together with the charging system in-between. The packs are modified to deliver a greater ability to charge and discharge. This is, according to Asakura, so that they can get an accurate representation of how the more energy dense lithium ion pack will perform in production vehicles. In all likelihood, the first of those vehicles will be the next generation Prius. The prototype battery system weighs about 220 lbs. more than the current production Prius pack and intrudes into the trunk so that that’s there’s only room for about two medium size suitcases. A lithium ion pack would be much smaller and lighter—about the size of today’s production battery pack.

Asakura said the prototypes can operate on electric power for a range of about 7 miles and can re-charge in three to four hours using a 110-vlot outlet. Under the hood is the current Prius’s 1.5-liter inline four. The electric motor generates 50kW, which combined with the more powerful pack, allows the Prius prototype to reach 62 mph on electric-only power. Current cars can only hit about 25 mph before the gasoline engine cuts in.

Our drive in the prototype PHEV was brief, only four laps of a small course setup inside the test facility. But it was impressive. The hybrid system has an "EV" mode and a more conventional "hybrid" mode. In EV mode the vehicle can run on electric power longer and with a more aggressive throttle input than in the hybrid mode. With an eye on the energy flow meter (basically a reprogrammed and updated version of what’s in the Prius now) we were able to accelerate up to approximately 50 mph and keep the car in electric mode all the way around the track. Like many owners do in the current Prius, we found ourselves playing the efficiency game of trying to keep the car in electric mode as long as possible. After two back-to-back laps, the monitor said we still had around 6 kilometers of battery life remaining. The most impressive part of the system was that it can take 1/4 to 1/2 throttle without engaging the gasoline engine. And that means for short 3 to 4 mile commutes, one could conceivably get to work and return home solely on electric power. The hybrid mode works much like the current car, engaging the internal combustion engine much sooner. This mode, it is presumed will be most applicable to long trips, when charging the battery isn’t an option.

The next generation Prius, due around calendar year 2009, will almost certainly use a plug-in system. The car may launch as a normal hybrid and later, once the lithium ion battery technology is ready, switch to plug-in capability. Or, it may be a plug-in from the beginning using a large NiMh pack and switch to lithium ion later. We think the latter may be true because we’ve heard rumors that the vehicle architecture is being designed for both battery types.

Whichever route Toyota goes, it will need more hybrids on the road. They have publicly announced their goal is to sell 1-million hybrids each year beginning early next decade. And PHEV’s are sure to make up a healthy portion of those vehicles.

http://www.popularmechanics.com/auto...s/4227944.html

[vasia]

That was a prototype using NiMH batteries, not the final production version. Toyota is estimating the production vehicles, which will use Li-ion batteries will have an electric range of 30-40 miles.

[cruiser9380]

Toyota has about 30 of these cars at their test track outside of Phoenix AZ. They are averaging about 120 miles to a single charge. One of our master techs was out there for a week last month helping with testing. He described the place as probably more secure than area 51.

[mikered30]

Originally Posted by cruiser9380

Toyota has about 30 of these cars at their test track outside of Phoenix AZ. They are averaging about 120 miles to a single charge. One of our master techs was out there for a week last month helping with testing. He described the place as probably more secure than area 51.

I assume that is with the Lithium ion battery?

[toyotafanfan]

Originally Posted by cruiser9380

Toyota has about 30 of these cars at their test track outside of Phoenix AZ. They are averaging about 120 miles to a single charge. One of our master techs was out there for a week last month helping with testing. He described the place as probably more secure than area 51.

120 miles per charge? That seems well beyond any plausible numbers I've heard for lith-ion.

I find it hard to believe. Perhaps he meant an equivalent of 120 mpg?

Fan

[blacken]

Originally Posted by toyotafanfan

120 miles per charge? That seems well beyond any plausible numbers I've heard for lith-ion.

I find it hard to believe. Perhaps he meant an equivalent of 120 mpg?

Fan

120 miles per gallon would rock
=D

or maybe toyota like pulled one out of left field and managed 120 miles on a charge
that would be something

[CPJONES1231]

I don't think it matters what they can get out of these electric cars. That technology is old, the way of the future is the water fuel cell.

http://techon.nikkeibp.co.jp/english...080613/153276/

[CamBOT]

Uh...are these PHEV vehicles ready for manufacturing?

I ask because I was at my work's fleet services (city of Toronto) and they had two PULEV Prius' plugged in charging. I didnt really look into it that that time.

I'm going to call and find out and beg to test drive one.


xD

EDIT: I got it wrong, the cars I saw are not the REAL PHEV. Its City of Toronto's own program.

http://www.toronto.ca/taf/fleetwise.htm

[Sulu]

Originally Posted by CPJONES1231

I don't think it matters what they can get out of these electric cars. That technology is old, the way of the future is the water fuel cell.

http://techon.nikkeibp.co.jp/english...080613/153276/

The hybrid electric vehicles, including plug-in hybrid electric vehicles are necessary, to bridge the gap between the current technology of petroleum-fueled, internal combustion engine-powered cars, and the future technology of purely electric cars. Those future cars may run on electricity that has been generated at a central generating station, so must be plugged in to re-charge the battery; or they may run on electricity that has been generated by an on-board fuel cell.

Regardless of the source of the electricity, either remote or on-board, an on-board battery pack to store the electrical energy is required. That is part of the research and development going on right now with hybrid vehicles such as the Prius or the next-generation, Plug-in Prius. Because the battery technology right now cannot guarantee a great-enough electrically-powered range for the vehicle, the internal combustion engine is there as a range-extender. The automotive fuel cell technology is not at a state right now that it can reliably power a car for the range that is required, either, so more research and development is going on there also.

Pairing a fuel cell right now with current batteries would produce a car that would not have much range. Consider also that running a fuel cell on water still requires that the water be split into its constituent parts of oxygen and hydrogen, which requires energy. That energy will have to come from somewhere; if it comes from the electricity generated by the fuel cell itself, that is energy taken away from driving the vehicle, and the more energy required to split water will mean less energy to power the vehicle. There is no low-powered water-splitting method that I know of right now.

Toyota's Hybrid Synergy Drive was designed to be flexible: the internal combustion engine may be swapped out and another power source put in its place, a power source such as a fuel cell. Right now, we have the HSD, and further development is going on to make it more efficient (better electric motors and better batteries). The Toyotas running with HSD (Prius, Camry, Highlander Hybrid, etc.) run well. When fuel cells are ready for mass production, they can be swapped into a later generation of HSD. But, in the meantime, we need the hybrid vehicles to lessen our dependence on petroleum, but also to continue research into electrically-powered cars.

[Tideland Prius]

I thought the test PHEVs had 8 miles, not 7? lol. oh well, splitting hairs really.


That EV mode... same one as in my Prius. I can accelerate harder and such but obviously, I can't do 50mph in EV Drive Mode. A PHEV Prius would be awesome.