The Toyota Prius, Hybrid Car Phenomenon
by dreach | January 29, 2009 | In Hybrid Cars, Video | Comments Off
The Toyota Prius is a hybrid electric mid-size car developed and manufactured by Toyota. The word prius is a Latin word meaning “to go before.” Toyota apparently chose this name because the Prius vehicle is the predecessor of cars to come.
The Prius was first sold in Japan in 1997, making it the first mass-produced hybrid vehicle. It was subsequently introduced worldwide in 2001. According to the United States Environmental Protection Agency, the 2008 Prius is the most fuel efficient car sold in the United States. Toyota debuted the all-new 2010 Prius at the North American International Auto Show. Toyota estimates the EPA rated combined fuel economy cycle of the 2010 model will reach 50 mpg, a 4 mpg bump over the 2008 model.
The Prius has been well received by the automobile industry and other trade associations. It was voted car of the year in Europe in 2005. In 2007, the Swiss government named Toyota Prius the world’s greenest car in a draft study of over 6,000 cars and in 2008, the Prius won the Green Engine of the Year award from the International Engine of the Year Awards.
But while the success of the Toyota Prius is good for Toyota, it isn’t so good for its competitors who are late to manufacture a hybrid car. Now Nissan, GM and other car manufacturers are trying to quickly get their act together and catch up. The auto industry is now realizing that there is significant consumer demand for energy-efficient vehicles.
General Motors, for example, recently introduced a hybrid full-size pickup and a concept hybrid truck at the 2008 Chicago Auto Show. GM says the 2009 GMC Sierra hybrid gets a 25 percent improvement in fuel economy without compromising performance. The Sierra comes equipped with the company’s new two-mode hybrid system, which has also been introduced on the Chevrolet Tahoe and GMC Yukon sport utility vehicles and the Chevrolet Silverado pickup.
The two-mode system was introduced last year at the LA Auto Show, where the hybrid Chevrolet Tahoe was named the 2008 Green Car of the Year by the Green Car Journal.
Similar to single-mode hybrid systems used by Toyota, Ford, and others, the two-mode runs without the gas engine at low speeds. At higher speeds however, the electric motor in the two-mode hybrid contributes more power. The two-mode system also is better for towing.