Toyota expects hybrids will soon reach 20-percent sales volume globally

Source: ibid

The weakness of gas and diesel engines is to generate substantial power, they have to pass a lot of gas (sorry, there is no simple way to point out the obvious.) That means at low rpm, they are torque weak where electric motors are strong. So I've appreciated Honda's IMA attempt even though it did not decouple the motor so the car could have independent, EV power. The Honda Accord looks to fix that weakness.

Making a good hybrid is not trivial and many have been weak . . . and thankfully disappeared or disappearing. In particular, the BAS and auto-stop systems that give the illusion of being a hybrid with toy-sized motors. Hopefully he did not count these faux-hybrids in the 20%.

The word, "hybrid", does not make a car efficient. It is having significant power, applied when and where needed that makes a fuel efficient hybrid. Toyota, Ford and now Honda have figured that out. Hyundai may have figured it out too. Hopefully the rest are starting to get a clue even if the automotive press remains stuck in " . . . their roots as dull, slow, boring . . . "

Bob Wilson

 

I've read just a few hours ago about Formula One racing rules for season 2014...and "hybrid" is here to stay, no longer a KERS, but a more evolved battery-coupled system.
And an incredible reduction in fuel weight allowed (35% less from 2013 season) shows everyone how easy is to adopt the word "hybrid".

 

I think this is about toyota exepecting 20% of their sales to be hybrid soon, if I'm reading that right, not the auto market as a whole. This should be quite doable, as Japan has gone hybrid, and toyota, with some price cuts allowed by cost savings, should be able to expand hybrid in the US. At around 10 million cars a year that is 2 million hybrids from Toyota and Lexus.

Diesels have good torque at low rpm, inbetween gas and electric, and is efficient at low load. That is one reason making a diesel hybrid doesn't yield the potential benefit of a gas hybrid. The current american and new euro 6 regulations though make diesels expensive, which means that their is a smaller cost difference between diesels and hybrids for the low hp market (200hp and less). Diesels makes much more sense in long haul and high power applications.

I'd throw the gen II civic and gen II insight in that group of weak. The civic had battery issues, the insight went too cheap on costs yielding little benefit versus a fit. Instead of insights people bought fits or prii, in the US.

I think he is talking toyota only, otherwise the Chinese and american market are so big that hybrids create a much smaller percent of total auto market, and China does not buy many hybrids, america only 3.2% last year, which was the best year.

Yep the rules changed this year and porsche is bringing a battery hybrid. I expect that if the porsche team does well toyota will also change from super caps to batteries. The porsche lmp drivetraine is similar to the manufactured (918 units) but still very expensive 918. For a performance car hybrid makes a great deal of sense.

 

I thought the LeMans series prevented batteries on hybrids, resulting Toyota to go super-caps.

Porsche is probably getting their hands from the Audi LeMans e-tron cars experienced learned there.

 

Did someone mix Formula One and LeMans?

Porsche Turbo engine is similar to F1 engine, meaning that the turbo charger is coupled to MGU eliminating turbo lag and collecting energy that would be wasted through waste gate (waste gate still there for emergency). The kinetic recuperation is also similar, but similarities probably end here.

In the end the the reliability is very important and first F1 race did show that (Hamilton and Vettel with engine problems)

 

Global sales of hybrids are 13 to 14 % of all passenger vehicles???

Hybrids in the US are currently around 3% of all cars, SUVs and light trucks sold.

13 to 14% now? How so?

 

Maybe only from Toyota sales?

 

Toyota is in the best position to reach 20%.

DBCassidy

 

Yes, I agree. However, one of the difficulties with clean diesels is the emissions and drivability during load and speed transitions, and in certain other operating conditions. A properly designed hybrid power management system can significantly reduce the complexity and cost of the diesel emissions systems needed to meet future emissions standards. Research and development of such diesel hybrid systems are currently in progress in Europe.

 

Something I heard on the Autoline after-hours Podcast is the use of diesel-water emulsion. Now this is what we call 'a hard problem', mixing oil and water and feeding it to a compression ignition engine. However, it has significant advantages:

• cooler combustion - this alleviates the major diesel problems NO{x}
• reduction of isolated combustion point - to reduce soot

Unfortunately, the emulsion separates when it returns from the high-pressure, common rail back to oil and water. Recombining the water and diesel in situ is the 'hard problem.'

Bob Wilson

 

Japan is a big market for hybrids. I don't know the numbers, but it has been mentioned the Prius outsells the Camry there, and the Camry is available hybrid only.

 

Doh, didn't mean to,the battery hybrid porsche was F1, it is a lemans endurance LMP1 which follows the new rules, and does indeed use a battery.
Porsche 919 LMP1 Le Mans car details | evo

 

Ooops posted in wrong place