Thread: Hilux hybrid.4wd vs dmax ls 4wd

Originally Posted by Sauer

Just about everything you’ve written there is incorrect.

The electric motor does assist the vehicle off the line as the electric motor is also driving the crankshaft when you’re accelerating. I don’t understand why you think putting the electric motor further down the drivetrain would be more efficient.

The electric motor, like all hybrids is a motor/generator combined so it does provide a measure of engine braking under deceleration as the engine is driving a generator to recharge the battery. You don’t get this energy from nothing, it has to come from increased deceleration. This is a pretty fundamental concept for any hybrid and to claim it somehow doesn’t work for the Hilux is certainly questionable.

You are completely incorrect about the placement of the battery. It is under a rear seat. You need to stop reading Facebook mate, the battery does not need to be removed to install a towbar. That is just complete bollocks.

Many modern cars have issues with disconnecting batteries, this is not unique to Toyota. I’m not sure why you would want to disconnect the 48V battery as it is not something you can service your self in any way.

You tell that to the Toyota dealer that used that as an excuse as to why the hybrid system was inoperative after fitting a towbar at presale. No facebook there mate at all. The claim was that disconnecting the hybrid system triggered the antitheft setup requiring the battery to be replaced. If it is bollocks as you say, nail in the coffin of that dealer for spouting shite - top Toyota service (again).

And the electric system in the Hilux hybrid does not offer any form of engine braking assistance at all, period - tested with a max weight trailer on behind the vehicle. Complete crap. Manual 3.2L Ranger has some (but not a huge amount) of engine braking, 3.2L auto ranger not as much as the manual but still a little, the biturbos no noticeable braking effect, hilux non-hybrid (but earlier gen vehicle) had between the ranger 3.2L manual and auto's and the hilux hybrid just had nothing. Basically freewheeled, even with a hydraulic override trailer behind the coupling did not activate the trailer's brakes and the vehicle just ran away (this with the transmission in 'D', just driving for the auto's, manual ranger either 3rd or 4th selected to suit). The only vehicle that did not end up with any temperature increase on the brake discs with the hydraulic override brakes after this test was the hilux hybrid, indicating no applied hydraulic caliper pressure and thus no braking effort on the trailer at all. For those not understanding how override couplings work, the trailer compresses a spring in the coupling if it runs into the rear of the tow vehicle which pushes on the trailer brake operating cylinder to create hydraulic pressure in the brake system. So if the vehicle has engine braking, the trailer will run forward and apply the brakes. No brakes applied, no engine braking - simple.

So either the hilux used during this was defective or the design is crap, and the dealer is happy with the performance of the thing so... I personally would not have been, uses a heap of fuel for what the job it's doing is and it's had more than it's fair share of dealer induced clusters. Much cheaper than some of the other options though. Can't comment on the design assisting vehicle starting off the line - I have not experienced this at any point and towing trailers with it doesn't show any noticeable improvement over the non-hybrid hiluxes. Putting the motor further down the line allows it to offer a LOT more assistance without wear and risk to components further up, simple. The transmission is now a weak point in the Hilux hybrid design - placing the electric system after this protects the transmission - simple. If that is hard to understand - well...