Four Things You Didn’t Know About the Toyota Prius

You’ve heard about the Toyota Prius’ fuel efficiency and its hybrid capabilities, but you may not be aware of the level of detail Toyota has drawn into the bones of this vehicle. Here are four things you probably didn’t know about the Toyota Prius.

Intuitive Design

Since its inception, the Prius has displayed some of the most intuitive and innovative designs, and not just in what drivers can see. For example, the first generation of Prius vehicles featured insulation surrounding the cabin that improved heating and cooling efficiency. To reduce the weight of the vehicle, further improving fuel efficiency, the first-generation Prius also used high-tensile steel and made the rear window glass thinner than normal.

Toyota continued improving the Prius’ design with every generation. In fact, the third-generation Prius used ecological plastics, derived from plants, in the vehicle’s interior trim, making the vehicle even more environmentally friendly.

Powerful Efficiency

The Prius is known for delivering impressive fuel efficiency, but few people realize how deep that fuel efficiency runs into the core of the vehicle. The first-generation Prius ran on a 1.5-liter Atkinson cycle engine that Toyota used to pump up fuel efficiency with light components, a narrower crankshaft, less load on valve springs, and more. The Atkinson cycle engine’s design also significantly reduced internal friction.

Few drivers would consider the Prius a powerful vehicle, but in addition to fuel efficiency, the second-generation Prius delivered an impressively powerful electric motor. This motor was more powerful than many 1.0- to 1.2-liter combustion engines and even generated more torque at low revs than a V6 diesel engine.

Aerodynamic Accuracy

Aerodynamics has always been a foundational aspect of the Prius. The efficiency of the aerodynamics really took form in the second-generation Prius, which created the best drag coefficiency in the Prius’s class: Cd 0.26. The aerodynamic design went even further in the third-generation Prius, which featured a flip-up design along the rear of the bonnet that reduced airflow disruption over the windshield wipers. Yes, Toyota was even worried about the windshield wipers. The fourth-generation Prius was adjusted by millimeters, with the help of a wind tunnel, to deliver optimum aerodynamics.

Innovative Comfort

In addition to finding innovative ways to be fuel efficient, the Prius also found a way to make comfort innovative. The second-generation Prius relied on an air-conditioning system that didn’t draw on the gasoline engine but rather on the hybrid battery, which meant the AC could run even when the engine was off. The third-generation Prius introduced a solar-powered ventilation system that could be remotely activated so drivers could cool their vehicle minutes before they entered it.

The fourth-generation Prius added another level of innovation to its temperature control system. In this recent model, the AC will adjust according to factors like the amount of sunlight entering the vehicle, how many seats are occupied, and the outside temperature. To preserve energy, the system will even minimize airflow around unoccupied seats.

The Prius never ceases to surprise us, even several generations into its lifespan. To learn more about the Toyota Prius, take one out for a test drive.

Image via DealerOn

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