Toyota’s more fuel-efficient hybrids. A new engine developed from scratch, aiming for an improvement of over 15%
Toyota is developing a new hybrid powertrain with a 1.5-liter engine. The goal is to improve fuel efficiency by more than 15% and to create a common platform for both hybrids and electric vehicles.
A new four-cylinder engine designed specifically for hybrids
Toyota is preparing the next generation of hybrid powertrains. It will be based on a new 1.5-liter four-cylinder engine designed from the start to work alongside the electric component. The automaker plans to offer both a naturally aspirated and turbocharged version.
The naturally aspirated version is intended to cover the performance range of hybrid systems in which Toyota currently uses 1.8-liter engines and a 1.5-liter three-cylinder engine. The new four-cylinder engine is expected to be smaller and more efficient than the existing units.
Engineers work together to develop the combustion engine, hybrid system, and power electronics. This allows for better coordination of the individual components from the design stage onward. The drive system will also include lighter and more compact electric motors, control units, and inverters.
The entire vehicle aims to save fuel
Toyota targets a fuel efficiency improvement of over 15%. Lower mechanical friction, improved heat management, and reduced electrical losses are expected to contribute to this goal. The company also takes into account the benefits of lower aerodynamic resistance.
For drivers, this means fewer trips to the gas station and lower operating costs. Toyota has not yet disclosed the specific fuel consumption in liters per 100 kilometers. The result will also depend on the vehicle to which the new drive system will be installed.
The smaller dimensions are also intended to aid in body design. A lower engine, combined with a more compact hybrid system, allows for a lower hood. This gives designers greater freedom in determining the car’s proportions and improving its aerodynamics.
Same platform for three types of powertrains
The new hybrid is developed alongside a platform that Toyota refers to as multi-pathway. Its purpose is to provide a common architecture for pure electric vehicles, plug-in hybrids, and conventional hybrids. This enables the manufacturer to streamline the development of multiple variants.
When designing the platform, Toyota emphasizes the capabilities of the pure electric version. The compact hybrid system is meant to fit within this same platform without restricting cabin space, altering the vehicle’s silhouette, or diminishing its performance.
A shared architecture will allow costs for development and production to be spread across a larger number of vehicles. Factories should also find it easier to adjust the ratio of powertrains produced. Toyota aims to respond more flexibly to which versions customers are interested in.
Toyota has not revealed the first models yet
We don’t know yet when the new engine will appear in a production car. Toyota has not announced specific models, their performance, or prices either. The information released so far mainly shows the direction in which it wants to take its next generation of hybrids.
The automaker also plans to increase sales of its engine and hybrid technologies to other manufacturers in the coming years. Therefore, the new engine may find broader applications over time. It did not name specific customers in this announcement.
The development also includes operation on renewable and carbon-neutral fuels. Toyota continues to advance multiple types of powertrains simultaneously, assigning a long-term role to hybrids. A smaller and more efficient system is intended to prepare this lineup for future years.
Sources:
original text / Elektrickevozy.cz
Toyota
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