Prius Torque

The short answer is that the electric motor peaks from a standstill, and the Atkinson ICE peaks at high rpm; the eCVT funtion of the PSD mixes the two fairly seamlessly.

It can be misleading, since the ICE rpm is more related to LOAD than road SPEED. Once it reached near redliine, you don't hear the engine speed up, but with the changing gear ratio, the car speeds up. It SOUNDS like it isn't going faster, but it is still accelerating. There isn't the surge/lack of power at certain speeds/rpms that youget from a regular ICE/tranny. You'll get used to it.

Without a stopwatch, and just based on observations, I think the only "hole" in acceleration is when you stomp it from a "off the gas" position, worst at around 20-30 mph.

I have found that if you keep your foot on the gas when you expect to have to speed up, you can "preload" the drivetrain so it responds to throttle faster.

I would like to see a Motor Trend style accel/speed plot of the quarter mile. With the PSD and the two propulsion systems, it won't have the sawblade shape a conventional car has. It may explain the feel of the car to you better than words.

 

The following pages are somewhat light on details but may be helpful: http://www.toyota.co.jp/en/tech/environment/ths2/high.html
http://www.toyota.co.jp/en/tech/environment/ths2/engine.html
http://www.toyota.co.jp/en/tech/environment/ths2/system.html
http://www.toyota.co.jp/en/tech/environment/ths2/output.html

 

Jet Assisted Take Off?????

 

Power generally means HP and that's only available at high RPMs from the ICE. Being pedantic here.

Anyways, have you ridden in a fast elevator before? Many a times, you can't feel how fast you're going because humans aren't designed to feel constant acceleration, and the elevators are gentle.

You're being constantly accelerated at 1G right now by gravity, can you feel it? Same when you're being accelerated by a CVT. It's smooth, constant, and doesn't really press you back into your seat.

Time it is the best you can do.

 

Yes, JATO unit....

There is an urban myth of some clown somehow bolting one onto a car or truck and igniting it. The myth says the driver and passenger launched themselves off the road and buried themselves in a cliff face.

The JATO units I've seen in use were for cargo aircraft and short takeoffs. Huge thrusters and no off switch.

Is that the JATO unit you mean? Yup, it'd definitely boost performance! For it's one and only use.

A booster from the Space Shuttle would also work and give even more performance, but might overload the Prius, probably void the warranty as well.

Personally, I'd go for a peroxide motor, way more control as one can switch it off at will.

 

Believe it or not the Blue Angels cargo service plane, which I believe is a C-130 has JATO (actuall more like rocket assisted take off). In some of their shows they actually demonstrate JATO with the cargo plane. Nothing like seeing a C-130 going up in the air at a nearly 80 degree angle.

Not practical for the Prius.

 

A lot has to do with perspective. When I moved from the Civic to the Prius I DID feel pressed into the back of the seat if I floored it from a standstill. It still seems to me (almost 2 years later) that the Prius has a lot of torque. It ain't a Corvette, but there's no flies on the Prius.

Whether from a standstill, or for merging or passing at street speeds or highway speeds, the Prius moves when you want it to.

Caveat emptor: If your last car was a Mustang your experience will be subjectively different than mine.

 

Giving up my 1985 corvette for a new Prius, I was quite impressed w/the Prius torque. It far exceeded my expectations.

 

After having owned a 327/300hp Corvette, I can say that from about 50-90, a Prius can keep up with most V-6s and probably beat all 4-cyl except the turbocharged Porsche and similar engines. It's my Rice Rocket in disguise.

 

I watched a C135 ( DC7 ) 1st four jet passenger, go straight up from about 100-200 feet above us, almost as smooth as the Prius.

 

i notice also at a light when the ICE is not running the slight hesitation when i want to get going fast off the line.when i am not in a hurry i just apply the peddle nice and easy and enjoy the ride. when i am in a hurry i try to beat the system by hitting my EV button while waiting. just before the light turns green i hit the EV button again, which then forces the ICE to come to life, and away i go. seems to make a difference to me.

 

You also get an extra boost in acceleration when the battery is in the green bars.

 

That's what the JATO was made for. It enables the C-130 to take off in very short distances. The only plane that uses them today is Fat Albert, the Blue Angles C-130. They open there show with it and it's a site to see.

I was told the reason they don't use them any more is because off the accident when the military tried to rescue the hostages out of Iran. If you remember, a plane and maybe some helicopters caught fire and killed some of our brave GI's. I was told at an air show this happened because a JATO was put in backwards.