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Toyota Prius
Hybrid Cars:
Power in Hybrid cars is drawn from a conventional gasoline engine and
an electric motor. One motor provides cruising power while the other motor kicks in for quick
acceleration. The electric motor recharges during braking and enables some of the hybrids to coax a gallon
of gas for more than 40 miles.
The two power sources found in hybrid cars can be combined in different ways.
One way, known as a parallel hybrid, has a fuel tank, which supplies gasoline to the engine.
But it also has a set of batteries that supplies power to an electric motor. Both the engine and the electric motor
can turn the transmission at the same time, and the transmission then turns the wheels.
In a typical parallel hybrid the fuel tank and gas engine connect to the transmission.
The batteries and electric motor also connect to the transmission independently. As a result, in a parallel hybrid,
both the electric motor and the gas engine can provide propulsion power.
In a series hybrid the gasoline engine turns a generator,
and the generator can either charge the batteries or power an electric motor that drives the transmission,
thereby the gasoline engine never directly powers the vehicle.
The hybrid car has a gasoline engine much like the one you will find on most cars.
However, the engine on a hybrid is smaller and uses advanced technologies to reduce emissions and increase efficiency.
The fuel tank in a hybrid is the energy storage device for the gasoline engine. Gasoline has a much higher
energy density than batteries do.
The electric motor on a hybrid car is very sophisticated. Advanced electronics allow it to act as a motor
as well as a generator. For example, when it needs to, it can draw energy from the batteries to accelerate the car.
But acting as a generator, it can slow the car down and return energy to the batteries.
The generator is similar to an electric motor, but it acts only to produce electrical power.
It is used mostly on series hybrids.
The batteries in a hybrid car are the energy storage device for the electric motor. Unlike the gasoline
in the fuel tank, which can only power the gasoline engine, the electric motor on a hybrid car can put energy into
the batteries as well as draw energy from them.
The transmission on a hybrid car performs the same basic function as the transmission on a conventional car.
Some hybrids, like the Honda Insight, have conventional transmissions. Others, like the Toyota Prius,
have radically different ones.
Toyota is already on its 3rd generation of the Prius with the 2010 Toyota Prius II Hatchback. This four-door Toyota hybrid has become a hit with consumers because of its great fuel economy, acceleration and reasonable price. The Toyota Prius, like other hybrid vehicles, has a special powertrain that combines a gasoline-fueled internal combustion engine with an electric motor. The powertrain allows the Prius to deliver higher fuel economy and lower emissions compared to regular cars.
The 2010 Toyota Prius II Hatchback has a hybrid powertrain consisting of a 1.8-liter gasoline engine that produces 98 horsepower and 105 pound-feet of torque that is used in conjunction with two electric motors and a special planetary gearset that functions as a CVT. The total system power for the 2010 Toyota Prius II Hatchback is 134 hp.
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The Toyota Prius II Hatchback is the most fuel-efficient car offered by a major
manufacturer in the U.S. for 2010. The Prius boasts more powerful electric and gasoline motors in 2010,
while the Prius II Hatchback's battery pack is smaller but powers the car for longer than the 2009 Prius edition.
There is competition for Prius from the 2010 Ford Fusion Hybrid, and the new Honda Insight. Prius performance,
exterior and interior rank very good.
As of July 2009, neither the federal government nor
the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety has crash-tested the 2010 Prius. It comes standard with six airbags
and electronic stability control. The front seats feature anti-whiplash active headrests.
The 2010 Toyota Prius has basic warranty coverage for the first three years or 36,000 miles,
in addition to warranty coverage on its hybrid technologies. J.D. Power and Associates provides
a Predicted Reliability rating and the 2010 Toyota Prius got a score of 10 out of 10.
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