Now that you have got an Insight into the Honda hybrid, take a look at the original one, the Toyota Prius. The Prius has already sold over 20,000 units in Japan and has just been launched in the all-important US market.
Finally, here's a Japanese sedan that attempts to look different - by design or by default, one doesn't know. While the Honda offering may be sporty looking, the Prius does have its strong points, especially with its overall silhouette and its flanks. Inside the Prius, there are no dials, but there is a central digital console accompanied by switches - this console displays which power the car is running on at any given point in time, and can also double up as a satellite navigation system or a music system. To optimise space, the automatic shifter is placed on the steering column a la the Premier Padmini.
Unlike the Insight, which uses more of the conventional fuel by default, the Prius is well-balanced between its petrol powerplant and its battery pack. The Toyota Hybrid System, as it is called, uses a lean burn 1500 CC petrol engine designed exclusively for the Prius - it is patented as BEAMS (Breakthrough Engine with Advanced Mechanism System). This engine, which also features intelligent variable valve timing, is good for 58 bhp at just 4000 revs and 10.4 kgm of torque at the same engine speed. In addition, the car features a permanent magnet type drive motor powered by a battery pack that consists of 40 Nickel metal hydride batteries with 30 Kw output at 940 to 2000 revs.
The THS combines motive power from the petrol engine and electric motor, which are proportionally engaged depending on driving conditions. A computerised power splitter allocates engine output in continuously variable proportions between the wheels and a generator. The generator feeds electricity to a motor, which supplies additional power to the drivetrain.
While the way the Prius moves is very much like the Insight, the former runs on battery power when starting up and when moving slowly. Its gasoline engine takes over for ordinary driving. For uphill and acceleration, the batteries chip in with supplementary power and regenerative braking recovers kinetic energy during braking and downhill driving, converts it into electricity and stores it in the batteries.
Their efforts are commendable, but it will take more than Toyota and Honda together to popularise hybrid cars amongst the masses.
