lexus66666

Lol this might sound dumb but how does hybrid engine work ... do you need chargeing the batteries

Sulu

No, you do not charge the batteries. In Toyota / Lexus hybrid cars, the petrol engine serves 2 purposes: power the car (when more power is needed than can be supplied by the electric motor alone), AND recharge the battery. You cannot even charge the hybrid battery from an outside source.

Here is a simplified explanation of how the Toyota / Lexus hybrid system works...

When accelerating from stop and at low speeds, only the electric motor drives the car. When more power is needed (than can be provided by the electric motor) during faster acceleration and at higher speeds, the petrol engine starts up automatically and adds power to drive the car, in addition to the electric motor. In the best hybrid cars (Toyota / Lexus, for example), the automatically turning on (and off) of the petrol engine while the car is running should be so smooth that the driver can barely feel it.

The petrol engine also drives an electrical generator to recharge the hybrid battery. The hybrid battery sits in the trunk, immediately behind the rear seat. There is still a 12-volt battery to start the car. Even if the hybrid battery is completely discharged, the car will still start the petrol engine from the 12-volt battery. While the large hybrid battery in the trunk of normal hybrid cars cannot be boosted or recharged from an outside source, the 12-volt battery can be boosted if it dies.

There is a 2-phase braking system: regenerative braking and normal friction braking. For the first little bit of brake pedal travel, it engages regenerative braking, which uses the electric motor (that would normally drive the car) as a generator, to re-charge the hybrid battery. The charging of the hybrid battery by the motor/generator slows the car. For greater braking power (the deeper the brake pedal is pushed), the normal friction (i.e. disk brakes) are engaged. In the best hybrid cars (Toyota / Lexus, for example), the switchover from regenerative braking to friction braking should be so smooth that the driver can barely feel it.

There are 2 electric motor/generators. One motor drives the car; the speed of the motor controls the speed of the car. Electrical power from the hybrid battery powers this electric motor. This motor also works as a generator during regenerative braking: the spinning car wheels spins the motor/generator, generating electricity which is fed back to the hybrid battery. The other motor/generator is driven by the petrol engine. The engine spins it to generate electricity as needed to recharge the hybrid battery. This second motor also acts as the starter to start the petrol engine.

lexus66666

Kind of get what u said lol

spwolf

all you need to know - D for drive, gas for going faster, brakes for going slower... rest is magic :-)

lexus66666

Lol cant wait when will uk europe get this machine i asked the uk dealers they say nothing

LexFather

yeah b/c your Lexus bets have been accurate

Hoovey+me> your bets times a squared to the

powertrains carryover. end of discussion

spwolf

what about me?

Hoovey689

iTrader: (16)

fixed for ya

towi

Your explanation on hybrid system functionality is correct, but on charging of batteries you are not up to date. http://www.toyota.com/prius-plug-in/trims-prices.html

plug-ins are here (and there =).

br,
Towi

lexus66666

Excellent info thanks

cino

iTrader: (1)

I have a feeling that we will see less camo prototype or leaked images soon. 3IS prototype is usually spotted once in 2 weeks since September, it's been while now.

spwolf

i wouldnt be surprised if it is revealed at Tokyo... which is soon enough. Dealers cant order 2IS after November :-)

Sulu

Towi: You are correct that there is now a Prius Plug-In Hybrid model that does allow you to recharge the battery from an outside source, but it is the only plug-in hybrid electric vehicle (PHEV) model in the Toyota lineup; there are no PHEV models in the Lexus lineup and since lexus66666 (who admits knowing nothing about hybrid vehicles) is interested in the Lexus ISh (hybrid) model – that, as far as I know, will not be available in a PHEV model – I decided not to confuse the issue by describing a minor model in the Toyota lineup.

And if you decide not to plug-in the Prius Plug-In, it will operate just like all the other hybrid models in the Toyota and Lexus lineup. If you do not recharge the Prius Plug-In Hybrid’s hybrid battery from an outside source, it operates and behaves as I described.

G Star

iTrader: (2)

I remember all the LF-GH spindle grill haters...where they all at now?

84Cressida

That would suggest it goes on sale much sooner than June, because I can't see them going 7 months without IS production.