I haven't heard anything specific, but i do remember hearing that Toyota was going to eventually offer hybrids for their entire line.
I'm still not sure they are worth it though.
I don't think that they are worth it. My dads company bought him a hybrid highlander and he said at best, it may get 25 MPG. I mean, that's pretty good, but not what they advertise. And it's a V6 too.
I was thinking about that today, toyota offers several option in the form of cars but those of us who haul stuff or just those of us that like trucks have little to no option. It baffles me that we still don't have a diesel option in our trucks all things considered.It would be great, better mileage, better low end torque and diesels especially turbo diesels seem to have pretty simple plug and play mods which result in big power jumps.
I would think that a vehicle designed to haul heavy things could not rely on an electric motor. SUV's are available in hybrid models though, so they either worked out the threat of burnign out the electric motor, or do not offer the same level of towing capacity the other models offer.
I would think that a vehicle designed to haul heavy things could not rely on an electric motor. SUV's are available in hybrid models though, so they either worked out the threat of burnign out the electric motor, or do not offer the same level of towing capacity the other models offer.
The only hybrid SUV i can think of would be the ford escape and it's max towing capacity is 1500Lb's.I'd assume the electric motor wouldn't even be used while towing and mileage would tank but I'd be interested in seeing some one try it.
The only hybrid SUV i can think of would be the ford escape and it's max towing capacity is 1500Lb's.I'd assume the electric motor wouldn't even be used while towing and mileage would tank but I'd be interested in seeing some one try it.
Wow, you didn't even bother looking in your own Toyota family yet. I guess that goes to show how effective Ford's marketing is. RX400H ring a bell? Or what about the Highlander hybrid; the reason a hybrid Tacoma is even a prospect at this point?
But yeah... the only way I can see a hybrid with towing capacity working is if the electric motor simply assisted the gas motor once up to speed. That doesn't sound very helpful though.
The only hybrid SUV i can think of would be the ford escape and it's max towing capacity is 1500Lb's.I'd assume the electric motor wouldn't even be used while towing and mileage would tank but I'd be interested in seeing some one try it.
You assume wrong. Hybrids can an do use the electric and gas engine together when it is needed. And the combined horse power can be greater than a stand alone gas engine, depending on how they engineer the vehicle.
And if you think a hybrid will compromise towing capacity then take a look at this bad boy.
Electric engines can have a crap load of towing capacity. Just look at some of the train engines. With that said, i don't think a hybrid tacoma would have a room for the stuff needed to make a good towing electric engine. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Locomotive#Electric
I would LOVE to have the engine shut off when I am stopped though. I think this feature should be on EVERY car. Who needs the engine running while your stopped? Of course then we would need a mod to keep the engine running when we are stopped.
Yeah, electric motors have almost immediate full torque. And motors are easy to precisely control and monitor.
It would be cool if you could use the motor to also stop the truck, by reversing the polarity. I run a 220 ton, 250dc crane and that's how you stop it.
I'm sure it's possible, but the whole underside of the truck would be full of batteries, wiring, motors, and stuff.
It might be a better idea to do it on a full size truck, where you have more room under the hood and stuff.
Last time I went to the dealership the guy there said Toyota would be offering a hybrid version of all of their vehicles by 2010. Whether that's still true or not, I dunno.
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It wouldn't necessarily have to be an electric hybrid. I think Ford had designed a system that used breaking force to spin a flywheel. The flywheel either kept spinning and transfered power to the wheels for acceleration, or pressurized a hydraulic system to do the same... I forget which. It may not have even been ford. It was whoever did a Tonka truck concept truck.
The F-350 TONKA introduces a unique combination of technologies that deliver a cleaner, more efficient ride. The vehicle's concept diesel V-8 engine is teamed with the five-speed PowerTorq transmission, marking Ford's first application of a five-speed automatic with a diesel engine. The 6.0-liter, 32-valve, turbocharged V-8 concept engine is rated at 350 horsepower and delivers up to 600 foot-pounds of torque when teamed with the PowerTorq automatic. With lower emissions and better fuel economy than any V-8 diesel truck engine on the road today, this concept powertrain also features Hydraulic Launch Assist (HLA).
The HLA system, currently under research, is designed to improve fuel economy in large trucks by an estimated 25 to 35 percent in city driving. A reversible pump/motor attached to the driveshaft through a clutch system and an energy storage module work in tandem with the traditional powertrain. The HLA system recovers energy normally lost during vehicle deceleration, stores it in the form of hydraulic pressure and then reuses it during acceleration.
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Last edited by PiercedTiger; 06-24-2007 at 09:26 AM.
[QUOTE=PiercedTiger]It wouldn't necessarily have to be an electric hybrid. I think Ford had designed a system that used breaking force to spin a flywheel. The flywheel either kept spinning and transfered power to the wheels for acceleration, or pressurized a hydraulic system to do the same... I forget which. It may not have even been ford. It was whoever did a Tonka truck concept truck.
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