Edmunds.com | Inside Line | Auto Observer Your Account | Help | Directory
You are here:
![[F]](http://a332.g.akamai.net/f/332/936/12h/www.edmunds.com/media/townhall/webxicons/site.gif){kind=small}
Forums
Hybrid Vehicles Hybrid Vehicles - Archived Discussions Toyota Prius vs. Honda Civic Hybrid v. Honda Insight v. ? 
336 messages, Last post on Oct 26, 2007 at 11:07 AM
You are in the Hybrid Vehicles - Archived Discussions Forum. Your Host is pf_flyer
This discussion is ARCHIVED. To reactivate the discussion, post a request in the Lost? Ask the Hybrids Host for directions! discussion.
|
Replying to: midnightcowboy (Sep 29, 2005 1:01 pm) Those are just power carriers, not gears, serving the same purpose as the connectors in a differential. It is not a transmission, since nothing ever disengages or even shifts. They just spin. What would having gears accomplish? You already have the ability to "downshift", kicking in a boost from the motor and/or gas engine (determined by what was powering the tires in the first place) when you step harder on the pedal. JOHN |
|
|
|
|
Replying to: john1701a (Sep 29, 2005 3:01 pm) As a seasoned Prius owner i thougth you knew how the CVT planetary gear system worked. Here is a technical slide presentation that in session 2 shows the details of the Prius HSD system. Look at slide 28 in particular. It shows a picture of the actual Prius gears: sun ,planetary and ring. Here is the URL : http://www.engin.umd.umich.edu/vi/w4_workshops/Miller_W04.pdf The gear system acts as a transmission by combining the outputs of two Motor /Generators MG1 and MG2 with the drive to the wheels. The "power carrier" is just a name Toyota coined to try to explain the system to the non-engineering background, general public. I will state correctly again the HSD system uses gears! YMMV, MidCow |
|
|
Replying to: midnightcowboy (Sep 29, 2005 5:30 pm) How come that isn't called a transmission? How come the components inside it aren't called gears? How come nothing ever engages & disengages? What is the point giving the same name for a device that is completely unlike any other? JOHN
|
|
|
Replying to: midnightcowboy (Sep 29, 2005 5:30 pm) It is "PSD", which stands for Power Split Device. JOHN
|
|
|
|
|
Replying to: john1701a (Sep 30, 2005 4:54 am) Look at this URL on the bottom of page101 and top of page 102: "In a series/parallel hybrid (such as the Prius), a power splitting device divides the power from the engine, so the ratio of power going directly to the wheels and to the generator is continuously variable. Since the motor can be run on the electricity as it is generated, the motor is used more than in a parallel system. " ALL series/parallel hybrid systems, example Prius, need a power splitting device, hence the coined name: http://www.homepower.com/files/HP102_100.pdf Have a Good Day, MidCow |
|
|
|
|
Replying to: john1701a (Sep 29, 2005 6:28 pm)  Early you were referring to the transmission as CVT se one of your earlier posts: #54 john1701a, "Hybrids: Toyota Prius vs. Honda Civic Hybrid v. Honda Insight v. ?" #54, 3 Dec 2003 12:31 am 1. some people call it a transmission there was a lot of debate about that. 2. they are called gears, just by their specifc name for their specific function. 3. That is true in one sense the gear cogs engage/disengage but the gear realtionship is fixed. 4. Marketing _ remember the "turbo-hydramatic transmission" John, if you will stop an think about the engine rotates and wheels rotate. There are only a handful of ways to connect two rotating devices: (1) directly connect via a shaft or cable (2) use wheels/pulleys and connect by a belt (3) use wheels pulleys and connect by friction pressure (4) use gears and connect by a gear chain. (5) use gears and directly engage the gear cogs. The HSD sytem uses a CVT planetary gear set which is a version of (5). It is actaully a pretty innovative system by using two Motor Generators sun gear and palnatary ring to drive the wheels and achieve the same effect as a conventional CVT transmission. CVT stand for continuously varialble can almost infitiley vary the final drive ratio between a lower and upper limit. think of a very low first gear ratio ( around 13.5 to 1) up to a very high highway gear ratio (around 2.5 to 1) and basically an infinite number of ration in between. I am sorry you are having trouble understanding the concept. There is a very simplified, animated version of how the gears work at this URL: http://home.earthlink.net/~graham1/MyToyotaPrius/Understanding/PowerSplitDevice.htm Here is another diagram of the Prius gears: http://home.nyc.rr.com/tewedding/HSD/Prius_Transaxle.GIF The HSD is a innovative transmission ,but it uses GEARS and is a planetray -CVT type transmission. Good luck in your further understanding of the Prius HSD system. Cruis'n 6-speed manual, MidCow |
|
|
|
|
Found this article on a comparision: http://www.broward.com/mld/cctimes/classifieds/automotive/12721217.htm He points out the two superior points of the Prius: Larger trunk space and the Civic does not offer ESC (Electronic Stability Control). Additionally, the Civic does not even offer traction control! I'd rather have that stuff then 20 speakers! Sounds like they forgot to put in the safety features when they did the redesign! Funny that the Accord has it though!
|
|
|
Replying to: koolkinkajou (Oct 24, 2005 12:07 am)
|
|
|
Replying to: coffmlu (Oct 24, 2005 8:38 am) |
|
You are here:
Forums
Hybrid Vehicles Hybrid Vehicles - Archived Discussions Toyota Prius vs. Honda Civic Hybrid v. Honda Insight v. ?
New? Join Now!
Forum Tools
Search Forums
Browse by Vehicle
2010 Toyota Prius
2010 Honda Insight
2011 Honda Civic
Browse by Board
Browse by Topic
Today's Chats
