More info on future corolla/prius

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(DanCar @ Oct 3 2006, 09:35 AM) [snapback]327253[/snapback]</div>

No way! 04 Prius was based on Allion which is only available oversea with 2.0 liter engine. For the next gen Prius anyone can guess which platform it will be based on.

Dennis

 

Prius isn't on any other cars platform actually. It's unique.

 

I thought the Prius was designed from the ground up as a hybrid and not based on any other models.

 

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(DanCar @ Oct 3 2006, 11:18 AM) [snapback]327300[/snapback]</div>

It's a rather common misconception. The big3 would love to compare the Prius to the Corolla and not the Camry (even though it falls somewhere between the two). I like the look of the new Corolla, or Allion or whatever it may be. Not bad at all.

 

The Prius was indeed designed from the ground up. Its drive train is unique, and the body style of the '04 was unique. While some components may be common to other cars, the design is not based on any previous car.

 

I thought the original Prius (or what would soon become known as the Prius) was designed on the Corona chassis back in the late 90's?? It's been a long while since I read The Prius That Shook The World...

 

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(DanCar @ Oct 3 2006, 11:18 AM) [snapback]327300[/snapback]</div>

My source is from "Toyota Prius: aei Best Engineered Vehicle 2004" article from June 2004 of Automotive Engineering International magazine page 60.

The second-generation 2004 Prius is new in the truest meaning of the word. The five-door liftback (hatchback) sedan has moved from the EPA’s compact to mid-size class. It is built on Toyota’s latest medium-compact (MC) front-wheeldrive platform, which is shared with a variety of cars including the Japanese market Allion/Premio sedan twins, the European Avensis sedan, and the new Scion tC liftback coupe. The wheelbase, at 2700 mm (106.3 in), is 150 mm (5.9 in) longer than its predecessor. The new Prius measures 4445 mm (175 in) long, 1725 mm (67.9 in.) wide, and 1490 mm (58.1 in) tall, gaining 135 mm (5.3 in) in length and 30 mm (1.2 in) in width over the first-generation Prius.

I shouldn't have said Prius was based on Allion. More accurate statement would be -- Scion tC, Avensis, Allion and Prius all share the same platform.


Dennis

 

Toyota has said that they intend to convert most or all of their vehicles to include hybrid models. However, they have also said they need to slow down to bring quality control in check.

Note that their battery suppliers are still scrambling to meet demand, and this alone can account for past and future hybrid car shortages. Of course there is money to be made, and when that is the situation, investment is quick and effective. So expect the battery roadblock to be "removed" efficiently.

 

All Toyotas.. hmm..

How would you make a nice sporty hybrid powertrain for a Celica or MR2?

I'd include a switch to allow you to keep the engine running all the time to improve off-the-line starts and throttle response when being sporty. And/or I'd make the battery bigger so it can dump more current into the electric motors; that way you'd get snappy acceleration as soon as you touched the pedal, without having to wait for the ICE to rev up. Maybe a small super-capacitor instead of larger battery...

 

If you are asking me to speculate, then I would say Li-ion is inevitable. When is the question. There are still a few technical roadblocks. There are also patent questions to be resolved.

As far as questioning whether any kind of car could be hybrid, just have a look at the Lexus 450H. That should dispell any wonderment. Hybrid technology can be used to make a mileage monster, such as the Prius, or a performance car, such as the Lexus, and anything in between.

Plug-in capability is still a question, though many posting here are convinced it's coming. The main question is why? How much extra would people be willing to pay for all those extra batteries? Just adding plug-in capability to the current Prius (conceptually) wouldn't be very smart. It's designed to be self sufficient. Plug-in would add a lot of cost, and very little EV range with the current battery pack. I think I'm with Ken@Japan when he stated a PHEV (plugin hybrid electric vehicle) would be a different design than the current Prius, with different compromises.