Toyota Prius

DaimlerChrysler was slow on producing hybrids, since it felt that Americans would not get too excited about fuel savings. The Toyota Prius and other hybrids have proved this wrong and manufacturers have not been able to keep up with the demand. Until the merger with Daimler-Benz, Chrysler was working on both fuel cell and hybrid technology. 

These same concepts could be used in fuel cell powered cars. Ultralight fuel cell vehicles are a part of the current generation of clean concept cars, sometimes called Green Cars. In 1996, when EV1 became available, it accelerated the development of the hybrid Toyota Prius and GM would show a number of alternative-fueled concept cars at the 1998 Detroit Show. Now every auto show has its alternative cars. 

Cycle life is another important factor because it determines the longevity of the battery in practical use. The number of lifetime cycles depends strongly on the so-called depth of discharge if only some 10-20% of the full discharge capacity is used (as in the Toyota Prius for instance) the batteries can handle millions of shallow cycles . However, for PHEVs or BEVs the number of deep cycles (typically 80% discharge) is a relevant characteristic. 

The base price for the 2009 Toyota Prius is 20,680. Toyota has enjoyed phenomenal demand for its Prius hybrid car. The Japanese firm responded by building a new, half-mile-long assembly line capable of turning out one Prius per minute. Toyota hopes to increase U.S. sales of the Prius to 600,000 vehicles yearly by 2012 or so. Honda is also hoping to get back into the hybrid market after discontinuing its Insight model due to poor sales. A hybrid Civic will hit showrooms in 2009, one of four hybrid models planned for release by 2015. 

The DLC market is expected to grow rapidly to reach the billion dollar size. Hundreds of millions of small size DLCs (IF, 5V) are used in the consumer electronic market for more than 20 years. Millions of larger size DLCs (350F, 2.5 V) have already been installed in industrial applications, like wind turbine pitch systems, since 2002. Today DLCs are already used in the car industry, as for example in the breaking actuator system of the Toyota Prius hybrid car, and in the aircraft industry, as for example in the door opening system of the Airbus A380. 

In 1996, when EV1 became available, it accelerated the development of the hybrid Toyota Prius. Now every auto show has its alternative cars. 

For ambitious soft hybrid and, especially, for HEV applications, a voltage significantly higher than 42-V will be needed [5,15,16]. The first series-production vehicle of this type is the Toyota Prius, of which production has exceeded 100,000 units since it was launched in 1997 [17,18]. 

Fig.7. Second Generation Toyota Prius Ni/MH Battery Pack.

The Japanese companies Toyota and Honda have assumed the lead in the introduction of hybrid electric cars to the world market. Both companies have chosen the parallel architecture with a conventional, but smaller, petrol engine than is fitted to the equivalent ICEV and an auxiliary battery to provide boost power. The first such cars were the Toyota Prius and the Honda Insight, which were released in 1997 and 1999, respectively. Subsequently, in 2003, both companies brought out improved models, namely the Toyota Prius THS 11 and the Honda Civic hybrid. These are both mid-sized family saloon (sedan) cars. The Toyota Highlander (a seven-passenger SUV) and the Honda Accord... 

The default assumptions for each vehicle type are summarized in Table 8.1. The assumed cost and performance of the gasoline hybrid and electric vehicles are based on current technology. The hybrid price and estimated mileage is based on the average retail price and efficiencies of the three existing hybrid vehicles on the market - the Honda Insight, the Honda Civic, and the Toyota Prius. The cost and performance of the electric vehicle (EV) is based on the recently retired GM EVl. 

Fig. 7.6 Rechargeable NiMH battery for a Toyota Prius. Source Wikimedia commons. Original Photograph by Hatsukari715...

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