The transition to electric
With petroleum prices skyrocketing these days and the carmakers making a conscious shift to electric power in the near future, Toyota offers a vital stepping stone in that shift in the form of hybrid options. Some may be thinking of switching but still have a few questions. We answer some of the most common ones.
What exactly is a hybrid electric vehicle (HEV)?
To quote Toyota Philippines’ website: “HEV’s combine the power of the conventional engine with the fuel savings and eco-friendliness of an electric motor.”
The basic components of a hybrid system consists of a gasoline engine which can drive the wheels and charge the batteries. The batteries, in turn, power the electric motor, which can also drive the wheels AND also assist the gasoline engine in driving the wheels.
Hybrid vehicles charge their own batteries, hence there’s no need to know where charging stations are. You also won’t have “range anxiety” which is where the drivers worry if they’ll be able to get to their destination with the little electric charge left.
How is it economical?
Gasoline engines burns fuel and put out emissions, 100% of the time. In Toyota’s hybrid vehicle, assuming the battery has sufficient charge, the hybrid system can shut off the engine, allow you to drive using just the electric motor. When that happens, there is no fuel being burned resulting in zero emissions.
There will be times where additional power is needed to accelerate. Then both electric motor and engine will work together. When this happens, there will be “reduced” emissions since the gasoline engine won’t have to work as hard as it would if it were running on its own. By sharing the load with an electric motor, a hybrid vehicle consumes less fuel and is therefore more economical.
How does the battery charge?
With an HEV, the battery never needs an external charger, and that’s the best part of Toyota’s hybrid system. One of the difficult things about full electric vehicles or Battery Electric Vehicles (BEVs) is that it needs charging infrastructure for power.
Toyota’s hybrids are self-contained and can charge one of three ways. The first is via the engine, when the battery charge drops below a certain point, the engine will switch on and charge it, and this will only happen a few minutes at a time.
The second is when you coast, or take your foot of the accelerator pedal, the forward motion charges the battery. If the engine also happens to be driving you forward, it also shuts off when you lift off the accelerator, again, reducing consumption and emissions.
The third is via “regenerative braking.” When you step on the brakes, the car uses the energy needed to slow the vehicle down to charge up the batteries. You’ll notice this on the left gauge when the indicator needle swings into the “CHG” indicator. It puts more charge in than just coasting. This self-contained system means you’ll always be charging, little by little, and will always have some battery power.
Do I have to drive differently with a hybrid? No… and Yes.
Now before you get confused, let’s start with the “No” part. Toyota’s hybrid system runs automatically in the background. It does all the switching between running the electric motor and gasoline engine, charging from coasting and braking. It pretty much takes care of the “economy” of the drive. All you need to do is drive as you would an “ordinary” automatic transmission vehicle and reap the benefits of the hybrid system.
Now to the “Yes.” Changing the way you drive (not just hybrids) can get you a few more kilometers per liter, and doing the same will definitely get you the best results out of Toyota’s hybrid vehicle.
There’s a drive mode button which will help yield even better results. Normal mode uses the system to keep vehicle or acceleration response the same as you would experience in a normal gasoline powered car, while applying electric assist to lessen fuel consumption. Eco mode, as the name suggests, helps you be more economical. Acceleration and power delivery are stifled with more electric assist, mimicking a lighter foot on the gas pedal. Of course, this contributes to better fuel efficiency.
Now if you feel this takes the fun out of driving, Toyota offers a PWR mode for you to feel “the need for speed.” This gives you more power and almost immediate response from their hybrid vehicle, making it feel like it has a larer engine or is turbocharged. The electric motor goes full assist each time you step on the accelerator.
How long do the batteries last?
Toyota says the batteries are supposed to last the entire life of the vehicle. For peace of mind, they give you a five-year warranty on them. They are however, confident that if driven “normally,” they should last a lot longer than that. And that should anything go wrong, bring them to any Toyota dealership.
Are hybrids expensive?
Right now, they are somewhat expensive, being the top of line price point of each model. If you think about it, the long-term fuel savings are considerable and make a good case for getting a hybrid over the mid-trim, non-hybrid variant.
Toyota’s HEV’s are available now, giving us a viable solution to the inevitability of rising fuel costs.