Toyota Prius
Toyota PriusToyota Prius is a mainstay in the production of hybrid cars. The car was relying on modern technology that is environmentally friendly and fuel efficient.
Power for the 2010 Prius Plug-in Hybrid Concept comes from the Hybrid Synergy Drive used in the new Prius, but with the nickel-metal hydride battery pack replaced by a new, lithium-ion battery. The battery in the Prius Plug-in can be fully recharged in one-and-a-half hours from a 230v power supply. On a full charge, the Prius Plug-in Hybrid Concept can cover approximately 12.5 miles in EV mode. After the battery is depleted, the Prius Plug-in Hybrid Concept operates as a regular full hybrid.
The electric-motor-only take-off from rest also feels instant and the Prius continues to drive in almost eerie silence. There is a decent amount of torque and the equivalent of 80bhp (60kW), coming from the electric motor is more than sufficient for city traffic. But this depletes the battery quite fast. On the Prius you can select EV (Electric Vehicle) mode, Eco mode or Power mode manually, and the software will help you drive in that desired style. But it’s best to let the car do the math and Eco mode is the sensible way to go.
The Prius first went on sale in Japan in 1997, making it the first mass-produced hybrid vehicle. It was subsequently introduced worldwide in 2001.
Blame the march of modern car design or the watering down of the Prius’s "must-stand-out" philosophy, whatever. But look at it from the front and you can tell it’s going to be slippery through the air. It’s the way the windscreen just drops away flat from the nose, the manner in which the sides of the car have been extended back and then sharply turned so as to only drop the airflow after the tail-lights. Predictably the coefficient of drag is 0.25, one of the best around.
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