DETROIT-In early April, in a Symposium on Motor Fuel High Efisiesi organized by the Society of Automotive Engineering (SAE) in Detroit, Koichi Nakata from Toyota stated that his company will explore all means to make the Prius that will come more efficient. Furthermore, Toyota's target is to develop the Prius gasoline engines with thermal efficiencies up to 45 percent.
Gasoline engine of the Prius' 2nd generation thermal efficiency is about 37 percent and for the 3rd generation is 1.8-liter engine with 38 percent thermal efficiency.
To achieve this, Toyota is now focusing on two concepts. The first concept, cool the exhaust gases Recircualation (EGR), using direct injection engine with long strides. Step length, according to Toyota can reduce heat loss, increase the speed of the piston and combustion chamber creates turbelensi better. The result can be improved combustion.
The second concept, using a turbocharger and engine design with lean combustion. Currently, as described Nakata, engine research team has reached thermal efficiency with 42.4 percent and 43.7 percent the first draft using the turbocharger and engine design with combustion thin or second draft.
Based on these results, it is estimated, the next-generation Prius petrol engine most likely equipped with a turbocharger!
