Of course, journalists are more inclined to write about their
test-drives of "official" cars, even if they're prototypes, rather
than after-market conversions. Despite the limitations they report,
EVWorld, the LA Times and Popular Mechanics reporters had positive
experiences.

The big news of these articles includes:
* confirmation that Toyota has been testing its PHEVs for at least three years.
* news that modifications in newer model Priuses may be harder for
after-market converters, because the diagnostic codes used, among
other purposes, for communications between the battery system and the
hybrid computer, have gotten more complex. We haven't heard reports
yet about Model Year 2008 Prius conversions -- but today (and
whenever Toyota decides to build PHEVs), there will still be hundreds
of thousands of 2004-2007 Priuses out there that can be "green-tuned."
* discussions of the emissions issues if PHEVs require more
cold-starts. It appears that both Toyota and after-market converters
will be using the same solution : keeping the catalytic converter
heated electrically.
* Both the EVWorld and LA Times reports include descriptions of their
fuel-cell car demos, found at the original URLs; the Popular
Mechanics story says Toyota's next-generation Prius will arrive in
2009 and will plug in, which is not confirmed by anything we've heard
recently; and the EVWorld report includes lively comments by readers
at the URL (SUBSCRIBE!)


Driving Toyota's Plug-in Prius
Special report from Toyota's Higashi Fuji proving grounds on the
slopes of Mount Fuji.
By Bill Moore, EV World
Open Access Article Originally Published: October 25, 2007
http://www.evworld.com/article.cfm?storyid=1343

PHOTO CAPTION: According to senior engineering executives, Toyota's
plug-in Prius has been in development for three years. Utilizing
paired 1.3 kWh NiHM battery packs, it has an electric-only range of
about 7 km. While far short of GM's announced goal of a 40-mile range
for its Volt concept car, Toyota notes that the dozen confirmed
vehicles it is experimenting with are on the road, not the drawing board.

Picture this. In the background is majestic Mount Fuji. In the
foreground are six Priuses that represent the future of Toyota Motors
and, most likely, the auto industry.

I and a handful of high-profile American automotive journalists are
about to experience the ride of a lifetime: we're about to get behind
the wheel of Toyota's internally developed plug-in hybrids.

For many of us who not only have been watching but also faming the
flames for electric plug-in hybrids, it may seem that the big auto
companies have only lately and reluctantly come to the dance. But as
I am about to learn during our visit to Toyota's proving grounds,
Japan's largest carmaker has been quietly experimenting with PHEV
technology for much longer than many of us have imagined.

Our trip to Higashi Fuji started early in the morning with a 5 AM
breakfast call, a walk to the near-by Tokyo central train station
from which issues gleaming white bullet trains every few minutes and
commuter trains every few seconds. As I am writing this, the trains
are less than 100 meters from my 3rd floor room in the Four Seasons
at Marunouchi. Gratefully, the sound proofing in the room is excellent.

Higashi Fuji is a one hour bullet train ride south of Tokyo, plus an
hour-long bus ride that winds over narrow roads, through a string of
Japanese towns and villages. Once at the Toyota proving grounds we
must leave our cameras behind -- hence there are no photos of the
plug-in Priuses we test drove or the FCHV (fuel cell hybrid vehicle)
that was also on hand for us to experience.

After the pre-requisite company presentations, including a glitzy,
but informative video, we piled onto a second bus -- thus insuring
that no cameras would be present -- and wound our way through a maze
of buildings and garages, eventually arriving at the center of one of
the complex's two test tracks. There Toyota had set up two short
driving courses, each adjacent to the other. The nearer course would
be for the plug-in Prius drives, while the outer loop would be for the FCHV.

The company had set up a tent with folding chairs for the gathered
journalists who report for the likes of the Wall Street Journal, Road
and Track, LA Times, Edmunds, the New York Times... and of course EV
World. But since the weather was fine and the six flower and
bird-emblazoned Priuses beckoned, no one followed the script.
Instead, we piled off the bus and made a bee-line to the neatly
lined-up cars to check them over.

Apart from their curiously Zen-like applique of flowers morphing into
birds atop pearlescent gray paint, the cars are your standard
Japanese, right-hand drive models; albeit the computer display screen
offers at least one new wrinkle that indicates one's driving
performance in both EV and hybrid mode.

We had learned the previous day at Toyota City near Nagoya, that in
order to experiment with the plug-in hybrid concept, company
engineers had chosen to simply add a spare Prius NiMH battery to each
vehicle, giving the car a total of 2.6 kWh of electric power capacity
or enough to propel the car in electric-only mode between 6-7 km, an
admittedly modest distance. Like the grassroots plug-in experimenters
and converters in the U.S. and Europe, Toyota engineers also chose to
locate the additional battery pack in the spare tire well below the
rear cargo deck, a move that Toyota itself has criticized as being
unsafe since it is outside the vehicle crush zone.

The other contradictory item of note is Toyota's assertion that the
Priuses being converted by their owners are showing increased smog
emissions over the standard, in-warranty vehicle because the
catalytic converter doesn't have a chance to be warmed up by the
engine once the car slips back into hybrid mode. It turns out that
there is a vacuum bottle of sorts on the Prius that stores a heated
fluid for up to three days and is used to pre-warm the converter,
thus reducing cold start emissions. Presumably, it should also work
on owner-converted models, assuming the plug-in converters have
figured out how to hack that piece of the car's code, a topic I'll
return to below.

Back on the track, Toyota organizers gradually regained control and
gathered us around to brief us in the plans for the drive. We'd be
paired together, two journalist per vehicle, and be required to wear
helmets. Each of us would be given just one pass around the
make-shift track in both the Prius and the FCEV. We could not exceed 70 km/hr.

I was assigned to car number two and offered the first drive. With
Yoshikazu Tanaka seated next to me, I turned on the car and set-off
in EV-only mode. Our assignment was to drive the first half of the
course on battery only, followed by harder driving that engaged the
IC engine. I found that I could maintain the equivalent of about 55
mph in EV mode, which the Prius has always been capable --
mechanically -- of achieving. However, for reasons of battery
longevity, it is electronically prohibited from going above 34 mph in
the standard model.

While critics have sneered at Toyota's admittedly modest claims for
its PHEV technology, which falls well short of the electric-only
range being pursued by General Motors -- 7-8 km versus 40 miles
(64km), it likes to point out that it has, in fact, real working
vehicles on the road. I counted a dozen during my visit to both
Toyota City outside of Nagoya and the Higashi Fuji complex. How many
operational Volts are there, they ask?

According to Yoshitaka Asakura, Toyota's hybrid program manager, the
company began exploring the plug-in hybrid concept as long as three
years ago, and from journalist test drives around the center on their
sprawling test track, the company is still tweaking the system.

While my all-too-brief run was relatively uneventful, other
journalists weren't as fortunate. Apparently the number 3 car had
something of a software glitch. If the driver started off quickly,
immediately engaging the IC engine, he would have to slow the car to
around 20 mph for it to slip back into EV-only mode. The LA Times'
Martin Zimmerman found this problematic, noting that it would make
the car's electric-only feature useless on the mean streets -- and
freeways -- of his adopted city. He wondered why the car didn't drop
back into electric car mode more quickly after hard acceleration.

A couple other experienced automotive journalists also noted the same
problem, so Mr. Asakura, who was overseeing the event, agreed to let
them try a different car, which apparently did respond properly. The
consensus among Toyota's engineering staff was that the hard
acceleration at the start may have drained the battery just enough so
the car needed a run in hybrid mode longer in order to recharge the pack.

Obviously, this is just one of the technical issues that must be
resolved before commercialization and, no doubt, has led Toyota to
adapt a cautious approach to plug-in technology. If after three years
of experimentation, including intimate familiarity with their own
computer control codes, the world leader in hybrid car technology is
still learning, it suggests this may be a bit harder nut to crack
than many of us had assumed.

On the question of those codes, I learned from Bill Reinert, Toyota
USA's National Alternative Vehicles program manager, that from the
2007 model onward, it's going to be a lot harder for experimenters to
hack into Toyota's control software. The catalyst for tightening up
of what has been, up until now, pretty open code has to do with the
implementation of OBD III (on-board diagnostics 3), a regulation from
the EPA that requires new, more complex emissions data reporting
aboard each car. While unrelated to the activities of the plug-in
hackers, the change will make it harder for experimenters to read the
vehicle's control codes.

The answer to the burning question of why Toyota is, after three
years of testing, continuing to use NiMH batteries instead of lithium
ion, which is what many of the grassroots converters are offering,
appears to be directly related to the company's policy of utilizing
its own internal resources, including battery technology, for
advanced product development, in contrast to GM's partnering with
outside venders like A123, JCS and Compact Power. Since its lithium
ion batteries aren't presently up to its own stringent standards, it
opted to utilize its well-understood NiMH system; and for testing
purposes, this approach seems to be a pretty reasonable one. Besides,
the software has been adapted to simulate lithium batteries, so when
Toyota's own cells do become available, it can replace the NiMH
without having to rewrite the code.

After the Prius run, I got to drive the latest iteration of the FCHV,
a hydrogen fuel cell SUV based on the Highlander (Kluger in Japan).
And as in the past, you cannot but be impressed by the transparency
of this machine. Toyota may still be learning on the PHEV Prius, but
it clearly has its act together on this vehicle, one of which
recently traveled on a single fueling of hydrogen from Osaka to
Tokyo, a distance of just under 350 miles.

[snip: section on fuel cell cars]


FIRST PERSON
Toyota's plug-in Prius is work in progress
Test drives show the plug-in hybrid has potential
By Martin Zimmerman, Los Angeles Times Staff Writer
October 24, 2007
http://www.latimes.com/business/la-fi-hybrid24oct24,1,7206635.story
TOKYO -- I had to go to Japan to do it, but I finally got my hands on
a plug-in hybrid.

Not one of those hacked Priuses that after-market modifiers will
produce in exchange for several thousand dollars and a canceled
warranty. This was the real thing, built by Toyota at its research
labs in Japan as part of its program to get a workable plug-in hybrid
to market.

Toyota Motor Corp. sells more hybrids than any other carmaker, though
that hasn't stopped some critics from questioning the company's
commitment to advanced fuel-efficient powertrain systems.

So with the automotive media in town this week for the Tokyo Motor
Show, Toyota perhaps decided it was opportune to demonstrate it has
been spending time and money finding ways to replace the
environmental disaster that is the internal combustion engine -- and
has the sheet metal to prove it.

Which is how I came to be at a Toyota test track near the foot of Mt.
Fuji, surrounded by engineers, interpreters, PR types and about half
a dozen plug-in Priuses -- cars that may have a lot to say about how
we get around in the future.

Hybrids such as the current-generation Prius use a traditional
gasoline engine as their primary power source. A small,
battery-powered electric motor powers the car for very short
distances at low speeds and provides additional power at higher
speeds. The payoff, in the Prius at least, is the highest
miles-per-gallon rating of any mass-produced car in the U.S.

(Toyota and other automakers are working on plug-in hybrids with
larger battery packs that would enable the car to travel several
miles at highway speeds on electricity alone; the batteries would be
recharged at night by plugging into a household outlet.)

Besides the bird decals and other eco-cute touches, the Priuses at
Toyota's Higashi-Fuji test track looked a lot like the 2006 model
that I drive from Glendale to work in downtown L.A. every day.

Other than the steering wheel being on the right, Japanese-style, the
major difference in the interior was on the dashboard touch screen.
In addition to the usual engine-motor-battery schematic, it displayed
colored bars indicating whether the car was running on electricity
alone or in hybrid mode. It also included a gauge that counted down
the 10-kilometer, electric-only range.

The cars were equipped with nickel-metal hydride battery packs about
twice the size of the ones in the current-generation Prius. The
reason: to simulate the additional power Toyota hopes to get from
lithium ion batteries, which are the leading choice among automakers
right now for providing the power needed to move plug-in hybrids
appreciable distances on electricity alone.

The Priuses at the test track could be operated in two modes:
electric only or hybrid with an electric-only capability. (Unlike
those in the U.S., Priuses marketed in Japan have an electric-only
option, although the range is just a mile or so at very low speeds.)

The engineers warned me that the test cars were strictly
developmental prototypes -- in other words, research vehicles not
ready for dealer showrooms.

They weren't kidding. After strapping on my crash helmet and punching
the familiar starter button, I hit the accelerator hard and almost
threw the car out of electric-only operation.

OK, fine. When in hybrid mode, Toyota's plug-in system is designed to
switch out of electric-only operation when it's confronted with a
heavy demand for power -- maintaining speed up a steep hill, for
example, or when dealing with a driver equipped with a crash helmet
and a lead foot.

When I eased off the accelerator, the car didn't immediately switch
back to electric power, even though the dashboard display said I had
several miles of electric range left. I had to slow down to 20
kilometers per hour (you try to do metric conversions while careening
around a test track) to return to electric-only.

That wasn't reassuring to someone thinking in terms of merging onto
the 405 and then jamming across four lanes of traffic to the carpool
lane, to enjoy seven miles or so of gasoline-free driving. In
Southern California freeway traffic, slowing down to 20 kph to get
the electric motor to kick back in isn't really an option.

The engineers assured me that it was no more than a software glitch,
or maybe the catalytic converter didn't have time to warm up.

Whatever. A second test drive in a different test car resulted in the
kind of torque-y acceleration electric motors are known for, speeding
smoothly and quickly up to 50 mph or so, at which point an extra dose
of throttle caused the gas engine to kick in -- as expected. And this
time, almost as soon as the pressure was eased on the gas pedal, the
car went back into electric-only operation as it was supposed to.

To get maximum electric-only efficiency, it seemed, the trick was to
accelerate with a bit of restraint up to the electric motor's top
speed of about 62 mph, thereby avoiding the sudden -- and admittedly
satisfying -- burst of acceleration that can cause the gasoline
engine to needlessly take charge.

Toyota won't talk mpg for the plug-in Prius, noting that it's tough
to come up with a number that reflects both miles per gallon and
miles per kilowatt. It also won't speculate on a sell-by date.

General Motors Corp., which is battling Toyota for the title of the
world's largest automaker, has talked of a 40-mile all-electric range
for its Chevy Volt, provided that researchers can develop more
powerful and safer lithium ion batteries. GM says it could be ready
for market in three years -- an aggressive projection that invites
derision from other automakers, including Toyota.

[snip: section on fuel cell cars]


First Drive: 2009 Toyota Prius Plug-in Hybrid Prototype
By Ben Stewart
<http://www.popularmechanics.com/automotive/new_cars/4227944.html>http://www.pop\
ularmechanics.com/automotive/new_cars/4227944.html
Published on: October 22, 2007

TOKYO, JAPAN -- Toyota may be the first to market with a plug-in
hybrid electric (PHEV) vehicle. Today, we were briefed on Toyota's
future hybrid and alternative fuel plans. And while there was no
official announcement by Yoshitaka Asakura, Project General Manager
of Toyota's Hybrid Vehicle System Engineering Development Division,
he mentioned that their plug-in development program was under way and
that it may not wait for lithium-ion battery technology to mature.

'Toyota has the knowledge and experience with nickel metal hydride.
And we have to use the battery we know best, in terms of overall
performance,' said Asakura.

Toyota is using their proven nickel-metal hydride (NiMh) battery
packs in prototype Prius PHEV's which we had an opportunity to drive
at Toyota's Higashi-Fuji Technical Center about 45 minutes (by train)
outside Tokyo. The prototype PHEV's use two current generation Prius
battery packs sandwiched together with the charging system
in-between. The packs are modified to deliver a greater ability to
charge and discharge. This is, according to Asakura, so that they can
get an accurate representation of how the more energy dense lithium
ion pack will perform in production vehicles. In all likelihood, the
first of those vehicles will be the next generation Prius. The
prototype battery system weighs about 220 lbs. more than the current
production Prius pack and intrudes into the trunk so that that's
there's only room for about two medium size suitcases. A lithium ion
pack would be much smaller and lighter--about the size of today's
production battery pack.

Asakura said the prototypes can operate on electric power for a range
of about 7 miles and can re-charge in three to four hours using a
110-vlot outlet. Under the hood is the current Prius's 1.5-liter
inline four. The electric motor generates 50kW, which combined with
the more powerful pack, allows the Prius prototype to reach 62 mph on
electric-only power. Current cars can only hit about 25 mph before
the gasoline engine cuts in.

Our drive in the prototype PHEV was brief, only four laps of a small
course setup inside the test facility. But it was impressive. The
hybrid system has an 'EV' mode and a more conventional 'hybrid' mode.
In EV mode the vehicle can run on electric power longer and with a
more aggressive throttle input than in the hybrid mode. With an eye
on the energy flow meter (basically a reprogrammed and updated
version of what's in the Prius now) we were able to accelerate up to
approximately 50 mph and keep the car in electric mode all the way
around the track. Like many owners do in the current Prius, we found
ourselves playing the efficiency game of trying to keep the car in
electric mode as long as possible. After two back-to-back laps, the
monitor said we still had around 6 kilometers of battery life
remaining. The most impressive part of the system was that it can
take 1/4 to 1/2 throttle without engaging the gasoline engine. And
that means for short 3 to 4 mile commutes, one could conceivably get
to work and return home solely on electric power. The hybrid mode
works much like the current car, engaging the internal combustion
engine much sooner. This mode, it is presumed will be most applicable
to long trips, when charging the battery isn't an option.

The next generation Prius, due around calendar year 2009, will almost
certainly use a plug-in system. The car may launch as a normal hybrid
and later, once the lithium ion battery technology is ready, switch
to plug-in capability. Or, it may be a plug-in from the beginning
using a large NiMh pack and switch to lithium ion later. We think the
latter may be true because we've heard rumors that the vehicle
architecture is being designed for both battery types.

Whichever route Toyota goes, it will need more hybrids on the road.
They have publicly announced their goal is to sell 1-million hybrids
each year beginning early next decade. And PHEV's are sure to make up
a healthy portion of those vehicles.

-- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- --
Felix Kramer fkramer@...
Founder California Cars Initiative
http://www.calcars.org
http://www.calcars.org/news-archive.html
-- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- --