Prius History and Technology
A Car is Born
First seen on the showroom floor in December 1997, the Toyota Prius (the name Prius is a latin word meaning "to go before") was the Worlds first hybrid vehicle to make it to the production line, but only just. Many technical and engineering problems early on, and the life expectancy of the batteries nearly ended it's arrival during the development stages...[more]
Hybrid Synergy Drive
The Hybrid Synergy Drive was developed by Toyota to identify a range of different technologies that are used in that company's Prius, Highlander Hybrid, Camry Hybrid, Lexus RX 400h, Lexus GS 450h, and Lexus LS 600h/LS 600hL automobiles.
It combines an electric drive and a continuously variable transmission. The Synergy Drive is a drive-by-wire system with no direct mechanical connection between the engine and the engine controls: both the gas pedal/accelerator and the gearshift lever in an HSD car merely send electrical signals to a control computer...[more]
The Wikipedia Toyota Prius FAQ Page
The following links are a repository of frequently asked questions about the Toyota Prius as found on Wikipedia, with a major contribution from members of PriusChat
