Toyota Announces Overview of "Lexus LC500h" HEV

Toyota Motor Corp announced the overview of the "Lexus LC500h" coupe to be exhibited at Geneva Motor Show 2016, which will be open to the public from March 3 to 13, 2016.

The LC500h is a hybrid version of the Lexus LC500 gasoline vehicle, which was announced in January 2016 at Detroit Motor Show (NAIAS) 2016.

For the LC500h, Toyota employed the "Multi-stage Hybrid System," which uses two motors, as well as a stepped automatic transmission. As a result, it became possible to generate a strong driving force even at low speeds. Moreover, the vehicle can drive on electricity in a wider speed range.

The LC500h comes with the "2GR-FXS" 3.5L V-6 engine, whose maximum output and maximum torque are 220kW/6,600rpm and 348N·m/4,900rpm, respectively. The maximum output of the entire system combining the engine and the motors is 264kW. The lithium-ion battery for driving the motors is stored under the floor.

The LC500 gasoline vehicle is equipped with a 5.0L V-8 engine whose maximum output and maximum torque are 349kW/7,100rpm and 530N·m/4,800-5,600rpm, respectively.

New Toyota Corolla Comes With High-efficiency 1.5L Engine

Toyota Motor Corp partially remodeled its Corolla and employed a high-efficiency 1.5L engine.

To achieve a thermal efficiency of 38%, which is higher than the efficiency of the engine of the previous model (36%), Toyota employed the Atkinson cycle, which improves fuel efficiency, increased compression ratio, improved combustion, etc.



The engine is also equipped with an idle reduction mechanism (start-stop system). As a result, the company improved fuel efficiency by 3.4km/L (approx 8mpg).

 

The new engine has the same parts and size of the basic structure and the same combustion technology as the high-efficiency 1.3L engine that Toyota started to use in the spring of 2014. But the new engine has a different length of piston stroke to increase displacement.



In addition, its air intake and exhaust system has a shape suited for a 1.5L engine. And Toyota employed different peripheral components by, for example, using an aluminum alloy part for connecting the engine to the body in place of a cast iron part to reduce weight.



The name of the new 1.5L engine is "2NR-FKE" while that of the previous engine is "1NZ-FE." The compression ratio was improved from 10.5 to 13.5.

The fuel efficiencies of the new "Corolla Axio" sedan and "Corolla Fielder" wagon (1.5L engine, CVT) are 23.4km/L and 23.0km/L, respectively, which increased from 20.0km/L and 19.6km/L.



Among the previous Corolla models, only the hybrid model is equipped with an idle reduction mechanism. This time, the gasoline engine model (1.5L engine, CVT) also comes with the mechanism.