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Old 01-20-2010, 08:33 AM   #40 (permalink)
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Quote:
Originally Posted by roflwaffle View Post
IMO all that's needed is a parallel hybrid w/ an appropriately integrated transmission to beat a series hybrid. The biggest issue IMO, also why everyone is jumping on the EV bandwagon, is that Toyota has built a huge portfolio of hybrid patents, and anyone who wants to use something remotely close to their parallel system has to license through them, and if they don't then they tend to have a subpar system in terms of vehicle efficiency, eg the smaller Honda Insight/Civic hybrids get worse mileage than the larger Prius.
Toyota is paying royalties on the transmission in the Prius that they stole from a comapny in Florida that patented the system before Toyota ever used the same design.

regards
mech
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