2004 Toyota Prius

The next great hybrid is here


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It has a full tank of fuel because the Prius is the Son of Scientists who have oil and car grime under the fingernails -- professionals who have built a significant piece of automotive technology called the Hybrid Synergy Drive. Debuted first in this vehicle but scheduled to be rolled out to at least the Lexus RX330, the Hybrid Synergy Drive system is a "full hybrid system," capable of operating in gas or electric modes, as well as a mode that combines the power of the gas engine and electric motor. This new drive system uses a 50-percent more powerful 50-kilowatt drive motor operating at up to 500 volts. A newly adopted high-voltage power converter enables this increased voltage and power. The generator in the new Prius has a higher peak operating speed that increases electric-mode operation in city and freeway slow-and-go operation. A regenerative braking system further boosts system efficiency -- when the Prius is coasting or the brakes are applied, the electric motor functions as a generator, capturing kinetic energy that would normally be lost as heat through the brakes and using it to recharge the batteries.


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