From the Toyota hybrid programme director himself:

http://business.guardian.co.uk/story/0,,1743417,00.html


About time too.

 

Sounds like a confirmation of lithium ion batteries to me. That's about the only way they will get that much capacity in a package of reasonable size.

 

It would also seem to indicate that they belive the cycle limitation of the Lithiums has been beaten (so you don't have to buy a new one every 5 years).

Great news if they come thru on it, truly great. Hopefully that'll include at home charging for that 9 miles...

Scott

 

Since half my commute is 9 miles, this is great. Maybe Toyota would be nice and provide an 18 mile battery option

 

My guess is that the next HSD will use some of *both* kinds. I can see it having a small array of NiMH cells for idle-stop and acceleration above 35 mph, since these cells recharge as quickly as they discharge. Then for extended low-speed cruising (say, more than 10 seconds at 10-30 mph), the HSD would draw power from a Li-ion or LiPoly array of cells, which could trickle-recharge when the car is at highway speed. By using both types, you get the advantages of *both* technologies with none of the weaknesses.

Whaddya think?

 

Actually, your commute is *perfect* for the next HSD. You would EV to work and drive on gasoline on the way home (and recharge the batteries at the same time.) Thus, you'd get about 90-100 MPG without having to spend $10k on a PHEV module.

 

Not really. You still have to generate the power to recharge the batteries and the extra load on the return trip would 'tank' the gas mileage.

A couple of months ago, I was looking at dual-fuel for my Prius using it for base power for the house. I calculate the $/kW for electricity and natural gas only to discover natural gas is much more expensive than electrical kW. Of course I live in the TVA region but still, I'm replacing the gas pack AC with a heat pump this year.

As for our NHW11 Prius, I will have to upgrade to house power UPS output, ~12 kW, for emergency. But fortunately, I think it can be achieved including sine-wave output. The only problem is I don't think I'll be able to get 3-phase, 220. I can do it as two, 110 VAC but the phase angles will be wrong to do 220 VAC. (rats!)

. . . But if I had an NHW20, it could work.

Bob 'Sparky' Wilson

 

maybe this time the plug is included!

 

Good article - promising!!

From the article:

I hate to sound pessimistic, but given the fickle nature of our (US) population, anybody out there think that he really has anything to worry about?

 

The plug is indeed included.

I expect the 9 mile AER option is just the beginning of Toyota's assault on the PHEV market, prob 20 miles soon after that, then 30, then 50... then, er, what's the name of that smelly stuff that goes in the fuel tank again? Was it, gazooleen or something??