My take on the i-FORCE Max Hybrid System

You sort of answered your question. Fuel economy went out the window when they decided to make it as big as a full-size truck from two decades ago.

It’s the Swiss Army knife argument.

A Swiss Army knife is a goofy fucking thing.

It’s much better to have something that does one thing well then many things poorly.

 

They could have focused on fuel economy, but then we’d all be here complaining that it doesn’t look trucklike, it doesn’t tow or haul enough, has tiny tires compared to the competition’s 31”+ stock offerings, isn’t durable for truck duty, etc.

 

Nuke it. There’s not even a 4th gen owner yet

 

Yep, do wonder if it stayed small how much better the fuel economy would be, Toyota used to boast about it. The Tacoma is a compromise truck that does nothing well, some reason we love the damn thing.

 

Yes, I'm aware. I was presenting a concept. Physically similar sized battery with much higher capacity (solid state), plug in charger, higher output electric motor. All very doable. It's not rocket science.

Again, I admit I could be completely off-base here.

 

This is exactly the PHEV Tacoma I was hoping they would have built this time. Toyota already has a great 305 HP AWD PHEV drivetrain in the RAV 4 prime. Using a setup like that but modified to use the 4th gen turbo motor in Tacoma and using the motors on the front... or I guess on the rear with the gas driving the front would still be OK... and would have been even stronger. Of course, that would not then have the traditional part time 4WD with transfer case as the electric motors would give you that function. It would essentially be a full-time AWD. Which, IMO, would be great.

 

I think that would be a great option. It would be less off-road worthy but work perfect for 90% of owners.

 

But it might actually be better off road. If the gas engine drives the front you lose the driveshaft and low hanging differentials. And then there could be almost infinite ways to tune the rear electric motor power delivery, and no need for a locker (if there are 2 motors, one per rear wheel). Software would handle that.

 

I was thinking it wouldn’t be as robust of a system if it was based on the RAV4. That’s not a bad thing though if it’s going to get great gas mileage. It would make a lot more sense to have a more road worthy hybrid with good mpg and a traditional gas engine option for off-roading than what they are doing now with the hybrid max.

 

It could be made as robust and off-road worthy as they want it to be. I mentioned the RAV 4 Prime merely to show that Toyota has the expertise to make a powerful and efficient AWD PHEV drivetrain. And it really would not have to be that different to work in an off-roading truck.

 

Like this?

https://www.magna.com/company/newsr...electrification-with-its-new-ebeam-technology

 

I suppose that's one take on it, but I am sure Toyota can or has already designed a platform like this. But I am still thinking more PHEV for now, not pure EV. After all I need to travel sometime and highway charging infrastructure for that is maybe 20 years away.

 

It would be a way to band-aide a ladder frame truck into a PHEV without having to reinvent the wheel. It is how Toyota AWD PHEVs are, traditional transaxle powering the front wheels, electric motor out back.

 

What would be cool is outboard motors on each rear wheel and no axle at all. But that might need a fresh clean of paper for the frame and such.

 

Yeah that's what has be confused about how they would execute it. Seems like front electric motors and a RWD drive train is what you would have to go with in order to maintain and towing/payload capacity. Then 4wd would only work if there is battery left. Maybe a front electric motor with a pass through for a drive shaft off the transfer case.

 

Would the generator still provide enough power to the rear electric motor if the battery is low?

Found this video.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=d5v_KA8I4CU&t=230s

 

The infrastructure for highway charging are part of the infrastructure bill and being allocated already and possibly chargers being installed now. Not 20 years away. Also i believe the new Sienna has axle based EV motors.

 

That's a start but it still won't be enough.

 

Yeah, in the past 2 years the feds almost installed their first EV charger. Impressive.
https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/ar...ded-7-5-BILLION-spent-nationwide-network.html