Combind an internal combustion engine's high-speed power with the efficiency of an electric motor that never needs to be plugged in to charge
Startup:
Only the electric motor is used for start-up and low to mid-range speeds.
Normal driving:
When cruising, the engine and motor both drive the wheels: engine power is split between the wheels and an electric generator, which in turn drives the electric motor.
Power allocation is controlled to maximise efficiency. As necessary, the generator also recharges the battery from surplus engine power.
Hard acceleration:
The battery supplies additional energy to boost drive power. The engine and motor together provide smooth acceleration response.
Deceleration/Braking:
The high-output motor acts as a high-output generator, driven by the car's wheels.
This "regenerative braking system" recovers kinetic energy as electrical energy, which is stored in the high-performance battery.
The Hybrid Synergy Drive system applied in the Prius combines the best features of a petrol engine with those of a battery powered system but with only one power source - petrol.
The electrical side of the system does not need to be independently recharged.
Did you know?
How does Hybrid synergy drive work?
A petrol-electric hybrid combines the high-speed power of a regular petrol engine with the clean efficiency of an electric motor - eliminating the trade-off between power and efficiency. The Prius hybrid actually stores energy that would otherwise go to waste (eg when decelerating), which is then used when energy demand is high
