Speaking of nit picking (I'm with you Matt
)... The phrase "... braking system converts heat from the brakes into electricity ..." really seemed suspect to me. How are they to capture the heat? Is there a steam turbine of some sort?
This from the Toyota site (
here):
Quote:
The Prius' generator converts the engine's rotational motion into electrical energy, which drives the electric motor and charges the batteries. It also acts as the vehicle's starter motor. Needless to say, it is not your traditional generator, which should not be surprising because, in the name of efficiency, nearly all of Prius' major components do double, triple and even quadruple duty.
It was with this same kind of efficiency in mind that Toyota engineers asked themselves, "Why not recapture some of the energy lost while coasting, slowing down or coming to a stop?" Well, that's exactly what Prius' regenerative braking system does. When the driver does any one of these three things, the system turns the motor into a generator. The energy of the wheels produces electricity, which is then stored in the batteries.
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Having said all that - I still don't know anyone who owns one.