ISALC, Lewis and Clark College

Prius: Why It Is the Car of the Future by Hirokazu Tsuzuki

In the Tokyo Motor Show, 1997, there was a car that many people wanted to see at once, and the car, Prius, was made by Toyota Motor Company and equipped with the first mass produced hybrid engine, named Toyota Hybrid System (THS) and other "environmentally friendly technologies," so characterized by former president of Toyota Co., Hiroshi Okuda (cited in Toyota Develops, 1998; Toyota Announces, 1998). The THS basically has two mechanisms to provide power for driving; one is a gasoline engine and the other is an electric motor. Also, the THS has two other characteristics: environmentally friendly --low emission of HC, CO and NOx and low fuel cost (Toyota Lanches, 1997). According to The Japan Automobile Manufacturers Association, Inc. (JAMA), although Japanese domestic sales of all passenger cars are decreasing year by year, Prius' popularity in growing in Japan (1997). Indeed, on the first day of Prius sale, about 3,000 customers wanted to purchase the car, although only 1,000 cars were planned to be sold per month (Sherman, 1999). Also, Toyota Co. aggressively contributes Prius to official institutes to spread the image of its superiority. For example, on June 15, 1998, Toyota contributed five Priuses to Aichi Prefectual Government, and the contribution was effective in promoting the environment and the Aichi Prefectual agenda of an environmentally friendly transportation system. This agenda included research comparing the consumption of energy among various kinds of transportation, like trains, buses and cars, according to Aichi Prefectual Government's former chief director of social welfare, Masahiro Tsuzuki, (1999). Prius' popularity is caused by its high technology, which provides both excellent fuel efficiency and an environmentally friendly car.

The THS has two main features to lower emissions and the cost of gasoline use. First is a hybrid engine, which has two power sources; one is a gasoline engine and the other is an electric motor. When a Prius is driven slowly, the passenger vehicle only uses an electric motor. Thus, it does not emit any toxic gases. Once a Prius is driven at normal speed, it begins to use both a gasoline engine and an electric motor for making adequate power. In other words, the gasoline engine in a Prius does not work in a period of low torque. Also, while at normal driving speed, the gasoline engine can generate electric power, stored in a battery, and the mechanism makes it possible not to have to recharge a Prius. Second feature in the Prius is a regeneration braking system (Prius Offers Seamless Operation, n.d.). When a Prius driver puts on the brake petal, the kinetic power of stopping or decreasing driving speed is converted to electricity. In other words, although conventional cars waste kinetic power, a Prius actually can regenerate the power for driving and transfer the power into battery power (Prius Uses Regenerative Braking n.d.).

These two main technologies in the THS create the two features of low emission and fuel consumption. Especially, in dense traffic with many traffic signals, THS can have a powerful effect because of using an electric motor for low speed and generative power with the regenerating brake (Hitting the Road, 1999). Actually, the emission of the toxic gases is less than one tenth of the level allowed by Japanese regulations (Prius coming in, 1998; Toyota Launches, 1998). Also, according to a review in Business Week, Prius can get 47 miles per gallon around San Diego, and the driving distance on a tank of gasoline is one and one half as much as a conventional sedan with the same engine displacement (Hitting the Road, 1999). Other sources point out the full economy of a Prius is about 60 miles a gallon of gasoline when driven on a test course (Toyota Develops, 1998; Toyota Announces, 1998).

The boom of Prius in Japan depends on not only the interest in new technologies, the THS, but also low emission of CO, HC and NOx and reasonable consumption of gasoline. In other words, when people possess a Prius, they not only save money for gasoline but also show their status of thinking seriously about environment. Actually, Masahiro Tsuzuki, former social welfare chief director, stated that many members of Aichi Prefectual Assembly wanted to purchase a Prius to show their present environmental concern (1999). Therefore, whoever wants to purchase a Prius, has to wait for a long time to drive this passenger vehicle because of money and the status. The high consumer demand is due to the Prius' efficiency and to its reputation as an environmentally friendly vehicle.

Hitting the Road in Toyota Prius (1999, February 8). Business Week, [Online] 3615, 76(1) Available: Infotrack Seachbank (Gen'l Reference Ctr) 53916203 [1999, October 30].

Prius Offers Seamless Operation. Toyota's Eco-commitment. (n.d.). [Online]. Available HTTP: http//www.toyota.com.au/env_tech/prius/hybrid/1seamless.html [1999, October 30].

Prius Uses Regenerative Braking. Toyota's Eco-commitment. (n.d.). [Online]. Available HTTP: http//www.toyota.com.au/env_tech/prius/hybrid/6brakingless.html [1999, October 30].

Satisfying Both the Driver and the Environment for the Twenty-First Century. Toyota Launches the revolutionary Prius Hybrid passenger Vehicle. [Online]. Available HTTP: http://www.toyota.co.jp/e/week/november_97/prius/1014.1.html [1999, October 30].

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Toyota Announces Formal Plan to Sell Prius Hybrid Vehicle in U.S. The Auto Channel. (1998, July 14). [Online]. Available HTTP: http://www.theautochannel.com:8080/news/press/date/19980714?press014526.html [1999, October 30].

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Tsuzuki, Masahiro (personal communication, October 30, 1999) said that contribution of Prius is good for think about environment. Many members of Aichi Prefectual Government want to purchase a Prius to show the status of thinking about environment.

Created by: krauss@lclark.edu
Updated: 11/14/99