As automotive customers increasingly desire cars that are efficient and have a minimal adverse effect on the environment, most automakers are producing cars with alternative propulsion systems, including hybrids. Long before this current trend, Toyota recognized the need and potential demand for efficient hybrid vehicles when it introduced the groundbreaking Toyota Prius. The Prius, with its innovative hybrid technology, far exceeded expectations by showing that a hybrid vehicle could be both practically feasible and commercially successful. Since then, Toyota has further perfected its hybrid technology and greatly expanded its hybrid model lineup.
Here at Gale Toyota in Enfield, we’re pleased to offer a wide selection of high-quality and reasonably priced Toyota hybrid vehicles.
The hybrid system varies for each Toyota model, but all have the same primary components. This includes a gasoline engine, one or more electric motors, a high-voltage battery, a power control unit, a planetary gear, and a generator. The hybrid system maximizes fuel economy by seamlessly switching between the battery-powered electric motor and the gasoline engine according to the driving situation. This is accomplished via the planetary gear. The gasoline engine is utilized more during rapid acceleration and when driving at higher speeds. The battery-powered electric motor is utilized more when driving at lower speeds, coasting, and backing up.
The high-voltage battery in Toyota hybrid vehicles is charged in two ways. For the first, the gasoline engine charges the battery via the generator. This second way is via a brake regeneration system. When applying the brakes on a car, a considerable amount of energy is released. The brake regeneration system captures this energy and channels it towards the battery.
Would you like to benefit from high-level efficiency with a Toyota hybrid vehicle? Contact us at Gale Toyota and get behind the wheel of one of our Toyota hybrid models!