Sort-of On topic, I booked a Toyota Camry Hybrid rental for next weekend, I can't wait to play... :D

Scary part is, I had to book the Hybrid 2 months in advance to be guaranteed one for rental!

I can't wait to get it on the hoist!

--Vince

Rental car on the hoist? :lol:

I would be interested to see if these electric motors will turn after driving through snow powder and then being parked over night in -40 weather with a -75 windchill.
Sometimes my old chev is cranky and the toyota sounds like it will buzz itself to death...but if they fire they usually move.
The power in electric is there ,but I wonder if the inards will freeze rooster stiff and refuse to even make 1 rpm???
At least my internal combustion engine produces heat to warm up...where does heat come from in an electric car???Plug in a toaster oven or hair dryer???That will be great for Power conservation...

Yup. I like to get a leg up on what's coming down the pipe. Take a look around, usually the rent-a-floggins are 1 year old max, but had the crap pounded out of them-- Gives me a good idea of what I need to look for when the come off warranty and my clients have them...

--Vince

I say your on topic, I started this thread so people get an idea of what electrics can do and have done and just to give us something else interesting to post about.
A mechanics inspection and viewpoint of a Toyota hybrid is most definitely interesting!
Can't wait to read what your findings are :wink:

I wonder what the specs on the genset of a hybrid is . . .

I forsee, with proliferation of these autos, there will become available from roll-overs, rear-enders, etc, a source of generators, provided the specs are conducive to appliance demands.

One thing hybrids need (and they may have) is the ability to utilize the burn-off of energy in braking as charging for the batteries.

Braking, historically, is a wastrel of the energy built up from previous acceleration, and to wastefully burn this off as heat is a crime . . .

I believe they do typically have regenerative braking but I could be wrong... That chevy volt is supposed to have it when it comes out.

All of the "true" hybrids in production right now do use one of the Moto-Generators for regenerative braking. From Toyota Prius all the way up to The Chevrolet Sierra Hybrid.

That does *not* include the Gm "Mild" hybrids though. The mild hybrid just doesn't have the capability. A 80-series serpentine belt can only do so much! :D

I am *really looking forward to torture testing the Camry this weekend... It's not just a hybrid, but an "Atkins Cycle" engine too! I can't wait!

--Vince