Japan Certifies Toyota Plug-in Hybrid for Public-road Tests

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(Tideland Prius @ Jul 25 2007, 07:19 PM) [snapback]485197[/snapback]</div>

They're likely charging it with 240V - which makes quite a bit of sense for a Prototype that they want to drive a lot. Otherwise, they're sitting around waiting 3x as long for the thing to charge before they can drive it again. Plus... isn't every other country besides the US on 240V typ?

 

Well we don't have the infrastructure for more than a commuter car, but it is quite conceivable. You could do faster charges, you could even have a battery pack you essentially rent (I don't know how practical that would be but it was done way back when when all cars were electric.) So I'd say we have the *technology* but building infrastructure takes more time (and also political will).

--des

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(darelldd @ Jul 25 2007, 07:47 PM) [snapback]485082[/snapback]</div>

 

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(darelldd @ Jul 25 2007, 09:02 PM) [snapback]485178[/snapback]</div>

Unless I die of pneumonia from walking in the rain from my garage to my house.

:lol:

 

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(darelldd @ Jul 26 2007, 11:24 AM) [snapback]485204[/snapback]</div>

Have you read Toyota's specification?

Code:

Charging time:
  1 - 1.5 hrs (200V)
  3 -  4  hrs (100V)

Ken@Japan

 

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(ken1784 @ Jul 25 2007, 01:04 PM) [snapback]484733[/snapback]</div>

I think you and mwbueno are probably right, an electric oil pump does make good sense.

 

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(ken1784 @ Jul 25 2007, 11:08 PM) [snapback]485300[/snapback]</div>

Yup! Right after I posted that.

 

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(ken1784 @ Jul 26 2007, 02:04 AM) [snapback]484733[/snapback]</div>

It is not clear video on the MFD screen,
But, I think it shows SOC and rest of the possible EV only mode range.
[/b][/quote]
Followup...
http://techon.nikkeibp.co.jp/article/NEWS/...816530&ad_q

I still can't find the second bar function.
However, the second numeric display on the right is confirmed as the rest of EV mode range.

Ken@Japan

 

One big reason that the EV1 was killed in California was because of loss of gas tax money. What would government do if everyone was driving an EV ? The potentional loss of this gas tax revenue was on of the factors that caused California officials to drop support of EV vehicles. Goverment officials may give lip service to EV's but they will work behind the scene to kill them.

If you ever want to know why things in government happen.... follow the money. It always comes down to money!

 

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(mocnarf @ Jul 26 2007, 01:29 PM) [snapback]485545[/snapback]</div>

This is a big deal. the wholsale price of gas is about $2.11, so whatever your pump price is the difference is taxes. Don't worry we common people will still be paying the tax somehow but how it turns out will be a big fight.

 

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(ken1784 @ Jul 26 2007, 12:43 PM) [snapback]485497[/snapback]</div>

Thanks for the follow up and screenshot. Maybe the 2nd bar is for the regen.

At the lower right corner, there is a touch button for Plug-In on the MFD. I wonder what it will show.

It is nice that in Japan, Prius is offered with TV button on the audio deck.

 

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(des101 @ Jul 26 2007, 12:55 AM) [snapback]485275[/snapback]</div>

If you consider how fast the cellular phone infrastructure was built once the realization that there was money to be made.....poof, there it is. Where do you NOT have coverage from 3 different networks. Realize the amazing amount of infrastructure (cell towers and stations) built with no taxes and nothing but zoning regulations preventing most cell towers.

It's obvious that the government is unbelivable bad at directing technology change, less bad at (eventually) legistating standards and regulations, and very good at finding ways to tax. The electric car infrastructure is going to be just like cell towers. The government will mandate hydrogen stations, and once the consumer discovers that an electric vehicle is a great thing to have, then....poof, the infrastructure problem is solved no matter what the government is doing. Hydrogen stations will be funny artifacts, the tax on electricity will replace the tax on gas, and there will eventually be rules about stealing electricity.

 

I found this video on YouTube that answered my questions.

The top bar is EV to E/G ratio. I think EV is the distance you run on pure Electric Vehicle mode. E/G is the Electric / Gas (Hybrid) mode. Say, if you trip is 16 miles, you can have 8 miles on EV mode and another 8 miles in HV mode. Hence making the top bar half green and half red.

The second bar is not clear because there were no label and the narrator said it is "the acceleration" bar. I am guessing it shows the power the driver is requesting. Push the pedal harder and the bar would move further.

 

That's a very good point, and I think the infrastructure is highly doable and the technology is here (unlike hydrogen where the infrastructure is really available). We do, after all, have wall plugs, fast charge units, etc. etc.

Hydrogen costs a lot to produce at present.

--des

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(FL_Prius_Driver @ Jul 26 2007, 06:10 PM) [snapback]485731[/snapback]</div>

 

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(Tideland Prius @ Jul 27 2007, 11:15 AM) [snapback]485888[/snapback]</div>

I've never been there, but I'm sure it is the Toyota MegaWeb.
Toyota offers test drives using that closed track.
http://www.megaweb.gr.jp/English/

Ken@Japan

 

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(etyler88 @ Jul 26 2007, 02:02 PM) [snapback]485569[/snapback]</div>

Retail gas prices reflect a lot of things, including transportation costs, taxes, and other local market conditions. Actual combined state and federal gas taxes can be found here:

http://www.gaspricewatch.com/usgastaxes.asp

Here in Northern VA the combined tax looks to be about 40 cents per gallon.

I think it's also worth saying that the cost of building and maintaining the US road network exceeds total combined federal, state, and local transport and fuel taxes and fees. Statistics for 2005 are here:

http://www.fhwa.dot.gov/policy/ohim/hs05/htm/hf10.htm

You can see (upper right corner) that transportation tax revenues amounted to about 75% of total disbursements (costs) for roads in 2005.

In other words, gas taxes would have to go up by about a third merely for the tax money to be enough to pay for the cost of the roads.

 

This is a significant step forward, indeed. Even if a commercialized Plug-in Prius is still a few years away, I bet GM execs are shaking in their boots and coming down hard on their Volt R&D team.

 

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(zenMachine @ Jul 27 2007, 11:15 AM) [snapback]486115[/snapback]</div>

Probably very true. But I wonder if the are coming down hard saying we need to get the first Volt done and over with so we can get out the mega-dollar SUV Volt on the market......or maybe that has already happened.

The interesting thing about the Toyota PHEV is that they realize that fully half the magic of their PHEV will be in the screen, and not just the battery. Engaging the driver to add their intelligence to the high mileage is just impressive to me. Special thanks to Ken@Japan for info provided.

 

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(ken1784 @ Jul 26 2007, 11:43 AM) [snapback]485497[/snapback]</div>

I noticed that the Radio Head Unit has a TV button...