Toyota's big Land Cruiser - possibly the world's toughest car - is finally getting hybrid assistance.
So, they've turned the 'Cruiser into a Prius?
Not quite, as while this latest version of the new 'J250' (that's for all you Land Cruiser product code nerds out there), Land Cruiser is getting some hybrid power, it's not becoming a full parallel hybrid, nor a plug-in hybrid.
So, how is it a hybrid, then?
Essentially, the new Toyota Land Cruiser Hybrid 48V is a mild-hybrid, which even Toyota describes as having a 'simple integration.' It's a more compact setup than Toyota's full hybrid system, and the Japanese car-making giant says that it can be 'easily fitted to existing powertrains without requiring significant redesigns or re-engineering.'
In this case, the 48-volt mild-hybrid system has been fitted to the Land Cruiser's 2.8-litre four-cylinder turbo diesel engine, and consists of an electric motor-generator, which replaces the conventional alternator; a 48V lithium-ion battery; and a DC-DC converter which controls the energy flow between the battery and motor.
Does it improve the Land Cruiser's performance?
Yes, and it's basically there to minimise waste. So every time you back off the throttle or apply the brakes, you're sending some of that waste energy to the lithium-ion battery. That energy can then be stored and sent back to the wheels when you need more power. It makes pulling away from low-speeds easier, as the electric motor's torque - up to 65Nm - can step in to help, and it provides a little bit of regenerative braking too.
The 48-volt system also improves the Land Cruiser's stop-start system when you're driving in town or in heavy traffic, as it can switch the engine off for longer, and smooths out the re-start too. The system can even recognise when you've accidentally re-started the engine just by releasing pressure on the brake, and switch itself off again. There's also a manual control function where you can decide how long the engine remains switched off for by selecting Normal or Long settings in a control menu.
The system also helps with hill-starts, as it can take up the slack of the car's movement while the engine is re-starting, and Toyota has gone as far as tweaking the engine's fuel injection system to better work with the hybrid.
Will it still off-road, though?
Oh yes, Toyota is adamant that the hybrid system has no effect on the Land Cruiser's legendary off-road performance. Indeed, the claim is that it's even better than the standard model, as the extra bit of torque from the electric motor can help when dealing with steep slopes or other obstacles. The standard 700mm wading depth remains unchanged thanks to both the hybrid battery and the low-profile DC-DC converter being protected against water ingress, while as much cooling air as possible is drawn into the battery from the front of the vehicle, with a lower temperature than the cabin air. A filter helps prevent the build-up of dust in the battery's cooling paths, and the fan helps prevent battery performance from deteriorating in high temperatures.
The system has been designed to be small, so the battery has a mere 13 cells and weighs only 7.6kg. Meanwhile, the belt-drive system for the motor-generator has been designed with a two-arm tensioner which can 'meet the demands of rough-road driving', says Toyota. The belt uses a high-strength cotton fabric layer on the ribbed side, which reduces noise, absorbs water and maintains its friction coefficient when wet, hence the unchanged wading depth. The belt's central cord is made from high-strength aramid, while stoppers in the tensioner arms reduce abnormal noise and vibration caused by the arms striking the housing when switching to motor-generator mode. Bushes in the damping mechanism are designed to help prevent foreign bodies entering the sliding parts, such as dust and grit in rough road driving.
When can I have one?
Soon. Order books for European deliveries for the Land Cruiser Hybrid 48V will open 'soon' with the first deliveries expected by the end of this year.