Summary
Toyota''s environmental crusade continues with the third generation Prius. Steve Walker reports The Prius remains the most recognisable hybrid vehicle on our roads and in third generation guise, it's even more adept at cutting costs and emissions. The look has changed little from the original but the technology beneath has been thoroughly overhauled to bring even more parsimonious results.
The Hybrid Synergy Drive was comprehensively re-engineered for inclusion in the latest Prius. Where once there was a 1.5-litre 77bhp petrol engine whirring away behind the scenes, there''s now a 98bhp 1.8-litre. Coupled to a more powerful electric motor, this VVT- i variable valve timing engine contributes to a combined power output of 134bhp. That's a fair whack for an environmental special but a key reason for the larger engine was to increase torque, making the car less highly stressed and more economical at motorway speeds. As before, the Prius is a parallel hybrid which means that it''s able to run purely on its batteries for a limited period.See the full content of this document
Extract
; Test Drive: Toyota Prius
The on-board computer adjusts the mix of drive from the petrol and electric motors according to the prevailing condition...
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