Who built the motor?

[bredekamp]

Hi all,

I was wondering, who makes the electric motors used in the Prius? I have Mitsubishi Heavy Industries in my head for some reason. Please correct me if you know.

Thanks

[jk450]

Toshiba makes the motors. The transaxle itself is made by Aisin Seiki for Gen I, Toyota for Gen II.

Mitsubishi makes some inverter components.

[bredekamp]

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(jk450 @ Sep 8 2007, 12:30 AM) [snapback]508764[/snapback]</div>

Toshiba makes the motors. The transaxle itself is made by Aisin Seiki for Gen I, Toyota for Gen II.

Mitsubishi makes some inverter components.
[/b]

Cool. Thanks

[bredekamp]

The VFD is made by Noritake. They also make that indestructable dinner ware.

Look at their VFD modules. Nice products.

http://www.noritake-elec.com/products.htm

[FL_Prius_Driver]

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(jk450 @ Sep 7 2007, 06:30 PM) [snapback]508764[/snapback]</div>

Toshiba makes the motors. The transaxle itself is made by Aisin Seiki for Gen I, Toyota for Gen II.

Mitsubishi makes some inverter components.
[/b]

Where did you get that info?
The reason I ask is that Toyota bought and specified all the motor winding machines for MG1 and MG2 as part of their normal practice to make all the major components of the Prius in house. The inverter IBGTs which are the core of the inverter are also made by Toyota with just some of the more generic inverter components supplied by outside suppliers.

[jk450]

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(FL_Prius_Driver @ Sep 9 2007, 09:19 AM) [snapback]509486[/snapback]</div>

Where did you get that info? The reason I ask is that Toyota bought and specified all the motor winding machines for MG1 and MG2 as part of their normal practice to make all the major components of the Prius in house.
[/b]

That's not their "normal practice". Toyota goes back and forth on this quite often. For example, Aisin-Seiki made the 1997-2003 Prius transaxles, Toyota made (and makes) the 2004-2008 Prius transaxles. Aisin-Seiki is making the Camry transaxles. Many "major components" are not made in-house.

Toyota does have a stake in some of the suppliers - Denso, Panasonic, Aisin - which leads some to claim that Toyota "owns" those companies. It ain't so. Corporate cross-ownership is quite complex in Japan.

Toyota does make more components in-house than the average OEM, but the don't make 'em all.
<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(FL_Prius_Driver @ Sep 9 2007, 09:19 AM) [snapback]509486[/snapback]</div>

The inverter IBGTs which are the core of the inverter are also made by Toyota...
[/b]

Yes, that's correct.
<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(FL_Prius_Driver @ Sep 9 2007, 09:19 AM) [snapback]509486[/snapback]</div>

...with just some of the more generic inverter components supplied by outside suppliers.
[/b]

It's a bit more complex than that.

Bonus question: Take a long look at an inverter for a Camry, Altima, GS450h, or LS600hL. See if you can determine who made it.

[FL_Prius_Driver]

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(jk450 @ Sep 9 2007, 02:02 PM) [snapback]509632[/snapback]</div>

That's not their "normal practice". Toyota goes back and forth on this quite often. For example, Aisin-Seiki made the 1997-2003 Prius transaxles, Toyota made (and makes) the 2004-2008 Prius transaxles. Aisin-Seiki is making the Camry transaxles. Many "major components" are not made in-house.

Toyota does have a stake in some of the suppliers - Denso, Panasonic, Aisin - which leads some to claim that Toyota "owns" those companies. It ain't so. Corporate cross-ownership is quite complex in Japan.

Toyota does make more components in-house than the average OEM, but the don't make 'em all.

Yes, that's correct.

It's a bit more complex than that.

Bonus question: Take a long look at an inverter for a Camry, Altima, GS450h, or LS600hL. See if you can determine who made it.
[/b]

I am still curious about the first question, where did you get you info for the motor? My reference is the book "The Prius-That Shook the World". Specifically in chapter seven it describes the installation of the high volume motor winding machines in the Honsha plant under the supervision of Ken Tanoue and Takaaki Ikeda. Has this changed? In the same book, Chapter 8 covers the Hirose plant design and fabrication of the inverter, which is where I get most (but not all) of my inverter info. If you have a later or more accurate source of info, I am all ears.

[jk450]

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(FL_Prius_Driver @ Sep 9 2007, 08:10 PM) [snapback]509770[/snapback]</div>

I am still curious about the first question, where did you get you info for the motor? My reference is the book "The Prius-That Shook the World". Specifically in chapter seven it describes the installation of the high volume motor winding machines in the Honsha plant under the supervision of Ken Tanoue and Takaaki Ikeda. Has this changed? In the same book, Chapter 8 covers the Hirose plant design and fabrication of the inverter, which is where I get most (but not all) of my inverter info. If you have a later or more accurate source of info, I am all ears.
[/b]

The book you reference describes the 1997-2000 Prius. It's accurate for that model. Your inverter info is also for that model. Yes, my source is later, and is in reference to the Gen II. You can take apart any inverter and find out who makes most of the components.

Where did I get my information on the motor? Wish I could tell you, but that would not be considerate to the source. Feel free to disregard it, and don't expect Hitachi to confirm that they make that motor.

Here's another production hybrid transaxle that they will admit to making, however:

http://www.hitachi-hap.com/products/...VTM/index.html

[FL_Prius_Driver]

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(jk450 @ Sep 10 2007, 02:17 AM) [snapback]509913[/snapback]</div>

Feel free to disregard it, and don't expect Hitachi to confirm that they make that motor.
[/b]

The last thing I want to disregard is the truth of the matter. However, I also do not want to put complete faith in info from the internet that results in a dead end. All useful information and clues are appreciated. (Understand promises must be kept, even if frustrating.) Thanks for what you can provide.