We have an interesting article on Toyota's Hybrid Synergy Drive system starting on page 46 of this issue.While this system has been around for just over 20 years now,it is still very much current; just recently,Toyota(finally)released the hybrid RAV4 in Australia,and it has(predictably)been selling very well.One wonders what took them so long.Still,I have to give credit to Toyota for not only popularising hybrid drivetrains but also perfecting them and bringing them to the masses.Not only that,but they have been able to fit these complex systems into a range of vehicles,without charging a huge premium to do so.And despite this complexity,Toyota's hybrid systems are very reliable.Perhaps even more reliable than traditional engines! That's quite an achievement.Keep in mind that Toyota has a reputation for outstanding reliability,in part because their engineering is so conservative.They're not a company known for rushing new technology into production,with the high likelihood of early failures,like some other manufacturers.That makes the fact that they have been so innovative in the drivetrain field even more impressive.
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