Toyota has unveiled a world-first hybrid-powered truck, which it says is better for the environment while returning up to 50 percent better fuel economy than conventionally powered trucks of equivalent capacity.
The turbo-diesel/electric powered truck (pictured) uses similar technology to the Toyota Prius - the world's first mass-production hybrid car.
Toyota says it developed the truck with automotive partner Hino to achieve low-noise city driving while minimising emissions in urban delivery driving.
The car maker says the truck features Toyota-developed catalytic converter technology which reduces particulate matter and NOx emissions by about 80 percent.
Other environmental features of the diesel-hybrid truck include stepless electronic transmission technology that only engages the diesel engine in its most efficient revolution range, where the exhaust gas is cleanest and fuel efficiency best.
Toyota says leading-edge technology in the four-tonne payload hybrid truck also includes:
* the low-pollution/high efficiency turbocharged and intercooled direct-injection diesel engine with common-rail electronic fuel injection;
* provision of two motor/generator units to power the vehicle and generate electricity (there is a computer-controlled clutch between the two motor/generators);
* Toyota's hybrid-power computer software;
* regenerative braking; and,
* the new low-particulate/low-N0x DPNR catalytic converter system.
Like the Prius, the new diesel-hybrid truck uses the Toyota-developed parallel/series hybrid system, which combines aspects of both series and parallel hybrids. A series hybrid uses an internal combustion engine to generate electricity for an electric propulsion motor. A parallel hybrid uses both an internal combustion engine and an electric motor (or motors) for motive power, switching back and forth between them as the situation demands.
The Toyota truck uses electric motive power for low-speed and light-load situations, and engages the diesel engine for normal (laden) operations and when the vehicle is accelerating.
During deceleration, the two motor/generator units act as generators, turning kinetic energy into electricity to be stored for future use.