About the Toyota Prius & Fuel Efficiency

Video Transcript

"Hi, I'm David Trachtenberg, from Toyota of Tampa Bay, and I'm here to speak to you today, about the most fuel efficient passenger car, that is sold in America. I'm talking about the Toyota Prius. The EPA mileage estimates on the Toyota Prius, are 48 in the city, and 45 on the highway. The Prius gets this exceptional gas mileage, due to certain design innovations, and its hybrid synergy drive. The hybrid synergy drive is a combination of a fuel efficient 1.5 liter gasoline engine, and an electric hybrid motor. The hybrid electric motor provides instant torque for great acceleration, and the 4 cylinder engine, when the vehicle is at highway speeds, provides the horsepower necessary to keep the vehicle at speed. The 48 mpg EPA estimate in the city, is higher than the highway mileage, which is exactly the reverse, of what you find in traditional gasoline only sedans. The reason for this exceptional fuel economy, is that the hybrid drive is controlled by a very sophisticated computer, and computer program. When the vehicle was coasting or sitting at a traffic light, the gasoline engine sits down, and does not waste any fuel, while the vehicle is at rest. The same thing is true, when you're coasting to a stop. The gasoline engine shuts down, so that it maximizes the fuel economy, while not using any power, where it isn't necessary. The second factor in the Prius's unique fuel efficiency, is the aerodynamic design of the vehicle. The co-efficient of drag of a Prius is .026, which is the most aerodynamic of all conventional passenger cars. To give you an idea of a comparison, a corvette has a higher co-efficent of drag, than a Prius does, so you combine the cutting edge technology of the gasoline engine, and electric motor, with a air slip stream design, and that gives you maximum fuel efficiency. I'm David Trachtenberg, from Toyota of Tampa Bay, and thank you for listening to this brief explanation, about the fuel efficiency of the Prius hybrid vehicle."