Toyota Prius Setting New Standards for Competition to Match

The European Car of the Year 2005 Toyota Prius added more feathers to its cap recently when it created a record of sort for the Land Speed Record for Hybrid Cars. The nature friendly car set the mark at an incredible 130.794 mph on the three-mile short course. Toyota used the standard Hybrid Synergy Drive power train - a mixture of 1.5-liter petrol engine and an electric motor for the event.

However, few changes were carried out by the Toyota Motorsport in the USA. They lowered the gear ratios of the car from 4.32:1 to 3.2:1. In addition, the voltage of the electric motor was increased from 500 to 550 volts. Also added was some cooling mechanism to control the temperature of the inverter and the motor to maximize the efficiency of the whole system. Ice was used during the runs to keep the car engines cool.

Toyota also reduced the car’s weight to increase power per ton ratio. For safety, a roll cage was added to the interiors. Aerodynamics was improved by lowering the height of the car. All these factors combined and helped the car to touch the speeds of 130 mph and create the record, which would be hard to match for the competition. The car is not new to creating new milestones. It also happens to be the first hybrid powered car to compete in and finish an FIA-sanctioned event when it ran in the 5,000 mile Midnight Sun to Red Sea Rally in 2002.

Toyota plans to display this car to the public at the 2005 North American International Auto Show in Detroit.