This is All-New model different from 2011- Aqua. It shares same platform as Yaris.
Aqua is the name for used in Japan, called Prius C on other market.
This is just HEV.
This release argues that there are significant improvements by using bipolar battery. That's why I post here.
> Compared to the previous-generation nickel-hydrogen battery, the all-new bipolar nickel-hydrogen battery delivers 1.5-times greater output per cell, and packs 1.4-times more cells in the same-sized space; together, this leads to a total output increase of approximately two-fold.
Aqua is the nameplate in Japan. Prius-C elsewhere. New battery technology apparently for NiMH and a higher electric-only mode speed (before the ICE kicks in).
Toyota seems to prefer the NiMH batteries as they've got a long history with them and a mature (and highly regarded) system. I think it might also avoid patents and other entanglements with Li-ion.
Cars don't always have the same name in different locales, just like if you're building an app or website you wind up changing strings to better fit a locale, even if it uses the same language.
It's not electric-only. It's a hybrid electric-only (as in a non-plug-in hybrid). They hyphenated it in a confusing way. (Edit: I guess they increased the electric mode max speed…)
Doesn't seem to do anything massively better, really. It's nickel metal hydride like the old one, although tweaked and optimized a bit. I guess it's cheap?
I wonder if it will be possible to replace individual cells? When the battery fails in a Toyota hybrid (usually not something you need to worry about until you've done hundreds of thousands of miles), it usually only needs a few cells replaced to be brought back to life.
What do they mean by "introduce sustainable vehicles practically", when they could have announced a 100% electric vehicle that is far more sustainable but also practical?
What's not practical with other BEV (Tesla, Hyundai Kona, ID.3, XPeng…) and that Toyota cannot improve (e.g by building a large network of charging stations)?
> they could have announced a 100% electric vehicle
There's something weird about Ford making a mass-market electric F-150 before Toyota has a mass-market car. I know they're betting on hydrogen, but so many other companies are so far ahead with electric cars that it's a little worrying. The irony is this is the company that's most associated with hybrids.
> What do they mean by "introduce sustainable vehicles practically"
For example, this vehicle will be part of Toyota's Welcab line that offers factory-installed conversions that makes driving accessible to people in wheelchairs. Including a device that will lift your wheelchair up and store it on top of the car while in motion (https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:The_rearview_of_Toyo...).
Tesla by comparison leaves this up to aftermarket accessory designers to figure out.
They are truly thinking about the "how does everyone drive an electric vehicle" problem.
I guess you answered your own question. Toyota doesn't appear to be interested in investing in a global chain of charging stations at this time. So from their perspective, a transition using existing infrastructure is practical.
I have driven the original in Japan, first time going over a mountain I was wandering if it would survive. The sound of the CVT is alarming if you hear it for the first time. Otherwise a good but boring car.
The single pedal is not that revolutionary these days, and I don't see anything technologically interesting about a HEV platform supporting it, since single pedal is fundamentally about regenerative braking.
"the speed range at which the all-new Aqua can operate on electrical power alone has been expanded"
That seems to me like they are putting lipstick on a pig. Tesla is showing how fast a pure electric car can be, and an all-EV drivetrain, even a cheap one, should provide a VERY zippy experience to all daily driving scenarios.
The fact they aren't bragging about an impressive all-electric range (which IMO should be a 50 mile minimum range enforced by governments to get any PHEV class incentives) or any density comparisons with even LFP or other battery chemistries seems to indicate this is basically a design that was barely improved and sent out to mint profits for another cycle.
Problem is, BEVs are going to destroy this car in performance, will outclass it in environmental virtue signaling, and shows no real technological progress towards a BEV drivetrain.
Between this and its obsession with hydrogen ... Plus the tokyo olympics (one year late themselves) were supposed to be the debut of a near-production solid state battery.
That is vaporware so far, and combined with the Quantumscape short seller report, solid state looks pretty far away.
Toyota and most manufacturers besides GM and VW are clearly praying... uh... planning for the solid state battery to be a reality and close the gap with Tesla. Meanwhile Tesla keeps inching forward with gradual improvements and scale.
[+] [-] wodenokoto|4 years ago|reply
It’s an update of a 2011 car, but why is it newsworthy?
If it’s a Prius, why is it called Aqua?
If it’s electric only, why is it a hybrid?
What does nickel-hydrogen battery do better?
[+] [-] fomine3|4 years ago|reply
Aqua is the name for used in Japan, called Prius C on other market.
This is just HEV.
This release argues that there are significant improvements by using bipolar battery. That's why I post here.
> Compared to the previous-generation nickel-hydrogen battery, the all-new bipolar nickel-hydrogen battery delivers 1.5-times greater output per cell, and packs 1.4-times more cells in the same-sized space; together, this leads to a total output increase of approximately two-fold.
[+] [-] rrmm|4 years ago|reply
Toyota seems to prefer the NiMH batteries as they've got a long history with them and a mature (and highly regarded) system. I think it might also avoid patents and other entanglements with Li-ion.
[+] [-] throwaway0a5e|4 years ago|reply
Because Toyota.
The HN demographics love Toyota as much as they love Tesla, arguably more (Tesla is more polarizing, at least some people actively dislike them).
[+] [-] spike021|4 years ago|reply
[+] [-] unknown|4 years ago|reply
[deleted]
[+] [-] Robotbeat|4 years ago|reply
It's not electric-only. It's a hybrid electric-only (as in a non-plug-in hybrid). They hyphenated it in a confusing way. (Edit: I guess they increased the electric mode max speed…)
Doesn't seem to do anything massively better, really. It's nickel metal hydride like the old one, although tweaked and optimized a bit. I guess it's cheap?
[+] [-] Quequau|4 years ago|reply
https://www.piston.my/wp-content/uploads/2021/07/Toyota-Bipo...
[+] [-] fy20|4 years ago|reply
[+] [-] rcMgD2BwE72F|4 years ago|reply
What's not practical with other BEV (Tesla, Hyundai Kona, ID.3, XPeng…) and that Toyota cannot improve (e.g by building a large network of charging stations)?
[+] [-] dehrmann|4 years ago|reply
There's something weird about Ford making a mass-market electric F-150 before Toyota has a mass-market car. I know they're betting on hydrogen, but so many other companies are so far ahead with electric cars that it's a little worrying. The irony is this is the company that's most associated with hybrids.
[+] [-] mike_d|4 years ago|reply
For example, this vehicle will be part of Toyota's Welcab line that offers factory-installed conversions that makes driving accessible to people in wheelchairs. Including a device that will lift your wheelchair up and store it on top of the car while in motion (https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:The_rearview_of_Toyo...).
Tesla by comparison leaves this up to aftermarket accessory designers to figure out.
They are truly thinking about the "how does everyone drive an electric vehicle" problem.
[+] [-] lovemenot|4 years ago|reply
[+] [-] Gravityloss|4 years ago|reply
[+] [-] tomytosian|4 years ago|reply
[+] [-] dimitar|4 years ago|reply
[+] [-] pkulak|4 years ago|reply
[+] [-] xivzgrev|4 years ago|reply
[+] [-] stefanve|4 years ago|reply
[+] [-] tibbydudeza|4 years ago|reply
[+] [-] joshtam|4 years ago|reply
[deleted]
[+] [-] AtlasBarfed|4 years ago|reply
"the speed range at which the all-new Aqua can operate on electrical power alone has been expanded"
That seems to me like they are putting lipstick on a pig. Tesla is showing how fast a pure electric car can be, and an all-EV drivetrain, even a cheap one, should provide a VERY zippy experience to all daily driving scenarios.
The fact they aren't bragging about an impressive all-electric range (which IMO should be a 50 mile minimum range enforced by governments to get any PHEV class incentives) or any density comparisons with even LFP or other battery chemistries seems to indicate this is basically a design that was barely improved and sent out to mint profits for another cycle.
Problem is, BEVs are going to destroy this car in performance, will outclass it in environmental virtue signaling, and shows no real technological progress towards a BEV drivetrain.
Between this and its obsession with hydrogen ... Plus the tokyo olympics (one year late themselves) were supposed to be the debut of a near-production solid state battery.
That is vaporware so far, and combined with the Quantumscape short seller report, solid state looks pretty far away.
Toyota and most manufacturers besides GM and VW are clearly praying... uh... planning for the solid state battery to be a reality and close the gap with Tesla. Meanwhile Tesla keeps inching forward with gradual improvements and scale.
[+] [-] phonon|4 years ago|reply
[+] [-] Anonymous4272|4 years ago|reply