Quote:
Originally Posted by mort
I'm assuming the Prius C eCVT is similar to the other Synergy drive units. Also I note that everybody except Toyota says the "C" has an Atkinson type engine. (Toyota says intelligent VVT.) The range of equivalent ratios in the eCVT is from about 4:1 down to about 0.5:1 The gearing limits are set by MG1 maximum rpm
[final drive is 3.19:1, rolling radius about 12 in. 1500 rpm cruise at 65 mph is about 0.525:1 gearing and maximum rpm pull at 30 mph is 3.6:1 gearing]
This PDF has some info. One limit on Prius economy is that the engine doesn't run below about 1500 rpm, but assuming Atkinson like torque, at 1500 rpm the "C" engine could produce about 22 hp. According to the ecomodder MPG calculator the "C" needs about 12 hp to cruise at 60. So the engine is throttled, which lowers efficiency, but lowers output more.
I don't think that's likely without major body work.
-mort |
It would seem that you could do a very slight P&G with the Prius C. Just enough to get to 22 HP on the pulse then all electric on the very slight glide. Maybe a 5 MPH speed variation, with engine off 50% of the time. This would be the secret to getting very high mileage with lower overall drag numbers.
Get them low enough to get your P&G ratios above 2 to 1 or even 3 to 1 and you will see magic numbers.
Drafting in my Insight was interesting, even with the .25 ratio. I found that I could get the same mileage at 70 MPH on the Interstate as I could on a deserted 55 MPH road running parallel to the Interstate. On one trip of 650 + miles I managed 70.2 MPG while averaging 55 MPH. In the VX on one trip I managed 68 MPG at 64 MPH and that was mostly drafting at 3 stripes in the right lane of I 64 and I 95, in the late spring of 2008.
regards
Badger