Irv's Sheet: Engines of the Year

This may have escaped your attention, but the full name of our mother ship is Toyota Motor Corporation.

If this suggests to you that the company is focused, first and foremost, on building "motors," otherwise known as engines, that suggestion would be right. Engines are, after all, what make motor vehicles possible.

So when one of our engines is recognized for excellence, we’re pleased. That speaks, after all, to the core of what we do and who we are. And when two of them are recognized for excellence – well, that’s twice as good.

So we’re pleased to note, first, that our Prius engine has been selected as Green Engine of the Year by the panel of 65 international motoring journalists that decides on the International Engine of the Year Awards, which are sponsored by a British magazine called Engine Technology International. Winners were announced during Engine Expo 2008 in Stuttgart, Germany May 7.

The group’s announcement of this award informs us that, "To qualify for this category, an engine must have been designed with fuel economy as a priority and feature technology to help cut emissions."

The Prius engine, a 1.5L four-cylinder VVT-i Atkinson-cycle unit that produces 76 horsepower and works in conjunction with an electric motor that provides another 67 horsepower, most certainly was, and does. Said one of the jurors who selected the Prius for this award, "It’s still the greenest engine that the automotive industry can provide, and still unbeatable by any other concept." Said another judge, "The Prius is still the finest full hybrid concept that has made it to the customer."

The announcement notes that this is the eighth trophy in five years that Toyota has been awarded for the Prius powertrain.

The second Toyota engine to be singled out by the Engine of the Year Awards is found in the jury’s Under 1 Liter (61 cubic inch) category. It is the three-cylinder, 998 cc, 67-horsepower VVT-i gasoline unit that powers our European Aygo, Yaris, Echo and Vitz. This high-tech little engine, which we build in Poland and also which won this title last year, uses resin-coated pistons, thin, low-tension piston rings and a slightly offset crankshaft to help reduce friction losses. Though it’s not available here in the States, its estimated combined fuel economy rating in the tiny Aygo is a whopping 51 mpg.

Jurors noted this miniature motor’s status as the lightest automotive internal combustion engine in the world, with a weight of about 148 pounds. One judge enthused, "The Toyota unit is a good illustration of how small can be a lot of fun."

Well, fun is good, and so is great fuel economy. But recognition for excellence also is good. And since "motor" is our middle name, we’re especially grateful for these two awards recognizing the excellence of two of our powerplants.

- Irv Miller, Group Vice President, Corporate Communications

Comments

[Joseph Poliakon]

I agree, the 1.5 Liter I-4 on "Atkinson Cycle" is great in the Prius. It is delivering 60+ MPG to me in my 2007 Prius. So why is Toyota replacing it with their 1.8 Liter I-4 in Model Year 2010? I would like to see a Prius engine option using Toyota's 1.0 Liter I-3 VVT-i run on "Atkinson Cycle." The I-3 1.0 Liter I-3 VVT-i used as the ICE in the Prius could really deliver "stellar" MPG-FE.

[P Schmoll]

I have owned a Prius for several years now, and am completely satisfied with both its driving and fuel performance. However, as gas prices climb, we are searching for ways to further increace the performance of cars.
I have been reading about fuel cells, solar energy, and other alternatives. It seems to me that rather than jumping with both feet into a single alternative, that combining them, as Toyota has with the Prius, may be a better solution. For example, why not incorporate Solar Voltake cells into the bodies of a Prius as an additional source of recharging the batteries of the Existing Prius. Doing this would not do away with the need for gas, but could diminish it enough to have an considerable impact on the overall milage of the Prius. In addition, the mass use of solar cells could then lead to their more practical use in electrolisis for the purpose of creating hydrogen for fuel cells.
In the 80's and 90's solar cell powered automobiles were thought to be the future, but it took so many to power a vehicle by themselves that it was not considered practical. However, combining the use of solar power with other technologies could once again make it a real and viable source of energy for powering the one item that uses more energy than just about anything else in our daily lives, our automobile.

[Jim McCullough]

I'm with Mr. Poliakon. Smaller gas engines, more batteries, and plug-in features make a better hybrid for my needs (including a lighter life-world footprint and less non-renewable fuel use).

Hopefully, Toyota will one day be winning awards for their electric “engines”.