TOYOTA Prius Motor Design and Manufacturing

In today’s hybrid vehicle market the Toyota Prius drive system is currently considered the
leader in electrical, mechanical, and manufacturing innovations. It is significant that in today’s
marketplace Toyota is able to manufacture and sell the vehicle for a profit.
This project’s objective is to analyze and study the Prius drive system to understand the
design and manufacturing mechanisms Toyota utilized to achieved their performance and cost
goals.
During the course of this research effort ORNL has dissected both the 2003 and 2004
Toyota/Prius drive motors. This study is focused primarily on motor design considerations and
an assessment of manufacturing issues.
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Figure 1 shows the assembly of the Toyota/Prius hybrid THS II drive train system. The
motor occupies a large portion of the drive train. Studying and analyzing the motor in detail can
accomplish a through understanding of the design and manufacturing considerations of the drive
system.

Figure 2 compares the output power and torque versus speed of the 2003 (THS) and 2004
(THS II) model Prius motors. Both the power and the torque of the motor are significantly
increased in the 2004 model.

The power at base speed of the 2004 model, as tabulated in Table 1, is 50 kW, which is
significantly higher than the 33 kW of the older model. The 400 Nm torque of the 2004 model is
also higher than the 350/305 Nm of the 2003 model.

Download full Report from http://www.ornl.gov/~webworks/cppr/y2001/rpt/120761.pdf

Toyota Prius Battery Life

What is the average span of the Toyota Prius battery life?

There hasn't been a for sure answer found on the estimated life of the Toyota Prius hybrid battery.There are people who are not getting longevity with their Toyota battery life.

Before this started to happen it was found they can run for over 200,000 miles and for about nine years.The life of the battery does last longer compared to the others because of the fact that they get only 60% charged. Normally the system usually offers the battery to vary its charge level by a maximum of 10- 15%. Therefore the battery is never allowed to get fully charged.

In the US the entire hybrid system has a warranty of 8 years for 100,000 miles and it does include the Toyota Prius battery life. When you live in California, you can get a longer lasting warranty for your Prius battery. They offer a warranty of 10 years or 150,000 miles.

According to Toyota they have not made a single replacement of their battery till date. s nickel metal hybrid Prius batteries are expected to last for 150,000 miles while other brands are estimated to last for only 36,000 miles or three years. This estimation of the Toyota Prius battery life has been based on the laboratory bench testing.

Statements regarding the battery life by Toyota say the life of their batteries is not determined by the time. It has proved to be worthy of 180,000 miles quite easily. But they also state that some batteries sold, already are running for more than 200,000 miles without having any problems.

The expectancy of the Toyota Prius battery life is about eight years and you can expect them to last for nine years without any wear or tear. After eight years it might need some replacements.

Those who face problems regarding their battery are suggested to try out all the options which are easily available to them. We have found 3 main options you can consider, You can buy a brand new battery from a dealer. This will set you back between $3000 and $4000 for something Toyota should have never let happen.

You can check out eBay there are some people are selling Toyota Prius batteries for half the cost of the Toyota dealers. This can be risky because you will not know how much were and tear or how many miles the battery will have on it.

You can find a guide on the internet which will show you how to rebuild your own Prius battery using just regular old tools you would have in your garage. There are shops other than Toyota dealers which will actually use the Prius Guide you provide for them and will rebuild the battery for you. This option is a lot cheaper than any of the above options because in most cases you can have your battery rebuilt and your Prius back on the road for about $500 dollars.

Having Toyota Prius Battery Problems?

The Toyota Prius is one of the cleanest vehicles out on the market today. However these days some problems are being noticed with the Prius.
The Toyota Prius battery problems are very annoying for the Prius owners and they are losing their trust with the car. It has a lot of charging specifications that need to be fulfilled or else the Prius battery condition deteriorates.
Toyota offers good ways which can solve their Toyota Prius battery problems which will make their customers happy. Due to this fact any problems faced by the Toyota owners are fixed by Toyota free of charge within the warranty period.
Firstly, you can go to the Toyota dealers to get the battery replaced. This is one of the solutions to your Toyota Prius battery problems.
The second option which is available to you is you can opt for a used replacement battery that is sold for a cheaper price. This will also solve your Toyota Prius battery problems. A lot of times you will not know how many miles are on the battery. Who wants to spend a lot on an old car by replacing it with a completely new or used battery?
When I was facing Toyota Prius battery problems and was not able to spend a lot for a replacement battery for my old and used car, I found a guide on the net. This guide gave me instructions to rebuild my existing battery at home.
Toyota Prius battery problems can be solved at home by making worthy use of this guide. At first the problem I had was that I did not have the opportunity to rebuild a battery myself, I was just too busy. I only had to spend about $500 for the items required to rebuild my existing battery myself. I was happily driving my Toyota Prius again. I was happy I found a low cost easy way to get rid of my Toyota Prius battery problems.

summarize from http://ezinearticles.com/?Having-Toyota-Prius-Battery-Problems?-Options-For-Your-Toyota-Prius-Battery-Problems&id=4046545

Toyota Prius History

Toyota first introduced the world to the Prius in 1997, and serious strides of improvement have been made since. Although the Prius was introduced to the world in 1997, it did not debut in the United States until 2001.

Today, the Prius is sold in more than 40 countries and is touted as the most fuel efficient vehicle sold by the United States EPA.

Toyota wanted a progressive name for its new hybrid car so they chose Prius, which in Latin means [to go] before. Their thought was that the Prius was the leader for the cars to come. The car experienced average success in Japan and in 1999, Toyota decided enough research had been done on the Japanese version to release the Prius in the US.

In 2004 the Prius was completely redesigned as a mid-size liftback, sized between the Corolla and the Camry, with redistributed mechanical and interior space significantly increasing rear-seat legroom and luggage room. The 2004 Prius is even more environmentally friendly than the 2001 model.

The 2010 Toyota Prius hybrid is back with a new look inside and out, and even better fuel efficiency compared to the 2009 Toyota Prius. The 1.8L four-cylinder gas engine works with the electric motor thanks to Toyota's Hybrid Synergy Drive technology, which now achieves 51 mpg in the city and 48 mpg on the highway.

Slightly restyled with new headlights, the 2012 Toyota Prius is a mid-size five-door hybrid hatchback powered by a 1.8-liter 4-cylinder gasoline engine that produces 98 hp/105 lb-ft of torque and an AC synchronous motor that yields 80 hp/153 lb.-ft of torque. An electronically controlled continuously variable transmission paired with FWD enables an EPA estimated 51 mpg city and 48 mpg highway. Additional factors that contribute to superior fuel economy are the aerodynamic design and "Eco" driving mode. Features consist of 17-inch alloy wheels, power moonroof, air conditioning equipped with pollen/dust filtration, voice-activated touch-screen DVD/navigation system, 4-disc CD changer, remote keyless entry with push button start and hands-free phone capability. Safety includes enhanced vehicle stability control, traction control, anti-lock brake system, electronic brake-force distribution, brake assist, smart stop technology, lane keep assist, front airbags, driver's knee airbag, hill start assist control and engine immobilizer. The Prius is backed by a 3-year/36,000-mile warranty.